The Australian Turf Club (ATC) have narrowed down the list of potential sprinters to fill their slot in the inaugural 2017 The Everest field to five horses including last Saturday’s Concorde Stakes winner Redzel.
Redzel has made the ATC’s shortlist for their position in The Everest field. Photo: Steve Hart
The ATC holds one spot in the Restricted $10 million The Everest (1200m) and Sydney’s latest addition to the spring carnival roster will steal the show at Royal Randwick on October 14.
There are just five runners still being considered by the club for the position with: the Australian Bloodstock-raced Brave Smash, Global Glamour, the Kris Lees-trained stablemates Clearly Innocent and Le Romain, and the Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Redzel.
“Amongst the five horses we have shortlisted we have some of Australia’s greatest trainers in Darren Weir, Kris Lees, Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, and Peter and Paul Snowden,” ATC chief executive Darren Pearce said.
“The shortlisted horses have diverse groups of owners, including large syndicates such as Triple Crown, Australian Bloodstock, an international group of women owners in Global Glamour, an established industry investor in Cressfield and another large partnership group in Le Romain.
“Now that we have shortlisted, we can commence negotiations with each of the five groups of connections and their trainers as they further plan preparations towards The Everest.
“Waiting a little longer to make our final decision also allows us to continue to monitor the form of each of the five thoroughbreds over the coming weeks.”
Redzel firmed into a $13 chance in futures The Everest betting at Ladbrokes.com.au following the Snitzel five-year-old’s resuming Randwick win by two lengths in the Group 3 Concorde Stakes (1100m).
That was his first start since taking out the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 (1200m) in Brisbane back in mid-May and his third victory on the trot.
Also at $13 in pre-field The Everest odds is the Darren Weir-trained Japanese import Brave Smash, a five-year-old stallion who has had just the one run down under.
Yet to win over less than 1500m, the horse put in an excellent Australian race debut at Caulfield on August 19 when just a quarter-length second behind Vega Magic in the Listed Regal Roller Stakes (1200m).
Lindsay Park’s Perth expat Vega Magic franked that form going on to win the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) back at the track last Saturday.
Brave Smash races again this weekend at Moonee Valley in the Listed $120,000 Chandler Macleod Stakes (1200m).
Trainers Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott already have one confirmed runner in The Everest field with quality mare English already securing a slot.
They could be dually represented in the lucrative showdown though with dual Group 1 winner Global Glamour on the ATC’s shortlist.
As a three-year-old the daughter of Star Witness enjoyed back-to-back interstate Group 1 victories over the mile in the Flight Stakes at home in Sydney and the Thousand Guineas in Melbourne.
She hasn’t raced since her second behind Derryn in the Group 2 $700,000 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint (1200m) at Randwick during April’s ‘The Championships’.
Global Glamour is set to make her four-year-old debut on Epsom Handicap Day, September 30, lining-up in the Group 2 $500,000 Premiere Stakes (1200m) just a fortnight before The Everest race.
Newcastle trainer Lees meanwhile has Le Romain and Clearly Innocent being considered by the ATC for the event with the gallopers paying $34 and $26 respectively in The Everest markets.
Three-time Group 1 winner Le Romain kicked off his campaign with a brave fifth to Vega Magic when under three lengths beaten in the Memsie Stakes.
The Hard Spun five-year-old hasn’t won a race however since defeating the current The Everest favourite Chautauqua home narrowly in the mud at Randwick on March 4 in the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes (1300m).
Six-year-old Clearly Innocent meanwhile was last seen running third to Impending in Doomben’s Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1350m) on the back of an Eagle Farm win in the Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m) during a dominant Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival raid.
“The ATC now looks forward to finalising our selection in the coming weeks as we continue to get closer to the running of The Everest, the world’s richest race on turf,” Pearce added.
To check out the latest The Everest 2017 odds and tip your early selections at the right price this spring head to Ladbrokes.com.au.
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