The next slot in the coveted $14 million The Everest in Sydney Saturday week is up for grabs at Caulfield Racecourse this weekend with the winner of the Group 2 $400,000 Schillaci Stakes (1100m) guaranteed a run in the world’s richest turf race.
Stradbroke Handicap winner Trekking is well-backed to secure a slot in The Everest field with a 2019 Schillaci Stakes win on the weekend. Photo: Steve Hart.
The Melbourne Racing Club and Australian Turf Club co-hold a slot in the 12-horse The Everest field at Randwick on October 19 and announced it would go to the winner of the 2019 Schillaci Stakes.
The weight-for-age sprint features a nine-horse field with the Schillaci Stakes to close a bumper 10-race card for Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas Day on Saturday.
Four of the runners in the short-distance feature are currently under $10 for the win in the latest Schillaci Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au including the firming $2.60 favourite Trekking.
The James Cummings-trained Street Cry gelding enjoyed a big win in Brisbane’s Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) during the winter to round out a top prep.
He resumed on September 27 at The Valley finishing strongly when only 1.65 lengths beaten running eighth behind Nature Strip in the Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m).
Fitter for that run over an unsuitably short distance at the tight Moonee Valley circuit, Trekking is tipped to be the big improver second-up in the Schillaci over a distance he has strong form at (6:3-0-1).
“He’s still in The Everest picture, but we’ll take aim at the Schillaci first, see what happens and take it from there,” Cummings told AAP
“His run in the Moir was excellent. He finished eighth but was just over a length and a half from the winner and was finishing off beautifully.”
There is a chance that Trekking, should he win the Schillaci Stakes, could still by a run in The Everest with Cummings naming the Group 1 $1 million Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes (1200m) back at Moonee Valley on October 25.
“This looks an ideal race for Trekking on the way to the Manikato, should we take that option,” Cummings said.
Following Trekking in the Schillaci Stakes betting markets at $5 is then Bons Away for Ciaron Maher & David Eustace, the consistent sprinter coming off a fifth in the Moir.
There are a further three single-figure fancies with Tony Pike’s New Zealander The Bostonian ($6.50), the defending champion Ball Of Muscle ($8.50) and the rails-drawn market mover Despatch ($9.50).
The Bostonian in gate three took out the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 – Kingsford-Smith Cup double in Brisbane over the winter before an 11th to Trekking over the 1400m in the Stradbroke.
The son of Jimmy Choux kicked off his spring in the Moir running ninth, only 2.15 lengths off the winner, when drawn wide in barrier 13 of 15.
He gets the chance to return to winning form from a better barrier on the weekend with a strong second-up record (5:3-1-0).
Ball Of Muscle chases back-to-back Schillaci wins for the first time since the brilliant mare Black Caviar (2010-11).
The Joe Pride-trained nine-year-old ran last in the Moir before his 2018 Schillaci success and was also last in the same lead-up running 15th last time out.
Despatch meanwhile is the early firmer in the Schillaci Stakes odds backed in from $12 to $9.50, the Written Tycoon gelding a four-time winner from six goes at the 1100m.
Prepared by Tony & Calvin McEvoy, Despatch is back down in distance after his disappointing 12th in the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) and is after his first victory since taking out Adelaide’s Group 1 The Goodwood (1200m) back in May.
Click here for the latest Schillaci Stakes 2019 odds courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au who also have the top all-in The Everest betting markets now available.
