Kerrin McEvoy's bid to start old friend Mark Wallace's Australian career on a winning note and notch his own career milestone fell just short at Gunnedah on Monday.Former English trainer Wallace sent his first two Australian runners to the western NSW meeting but both Star Spangled and Illude ran second with McEvoy aboard.McEvoy, who rode for Wallace in Europe, will now have to wait for Randwick on Tuesday to rack up his 1,000th winner.Wallace has set up stables at Warwick Farm after a successfu

Kerrin McEvoy's bid to start old friend Mark Wallace's Australian career on a winning note and notch his own career milestone fell just short at Gunnedah on Monday.

Former English trainer Wallace sent his first two Australian runners to the western NSW meeting but both Star Spangled and Illude ran second with McEvoy aboard.

McEvoy, who rode for Wallace in Europe, will now have to wait for Randwick on Tuesday to rack up his 1,000th winner.

Wallace has set up stables at Warwick Farm after a successful career in England where his best performed runner Benbaun bounced back to the winners' circle in the Group Three Sapphire Stakes at The Curragh on Sunday.

Now trained by Kevin Ryan, Benbaun was dominant in his first win since the Prix de l'Abbaye at Longchamp in October 2007.

"This is great for the old horse," Ryan told the Racing Post.

"Mark did an amazing job with him and I am delighted to continue that for him now he is on the other side of the world.