No Deal: Te Akau reject The Everest offers for Giga Kick slayer Imperatriz
Five-time Group 1 winning mare Imperatriz may have slayed the hot Everest favourite at Moonee Valley on Saturday, but connections say they never got offered a deal enticing enough to deviate from their Victorian plan.
Horse Racing
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Kiwi super sprinter Imperatriz will stay in Victoria after connections knocked back offers for The Everest following her monster win in the Group 2 McEwen Stakes at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
Te Akau racing boss David Ellis confirmed the mare would head to the Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m) later this month, after getting bombarded with offers from Everest slot holders over the weekend.
Ellis said the motivation for staying in Melbourne was simple.
“We haven’t been offered a deal that we think reflects her ability in The Everest, so we will keep her in Melbourne,” he told Racenet.
“She has won good races right-handed, but I think she is a fraction better left-handed.
“The final day at Flemington (Group 1 Champions Sprint) is her goal, it is a $3m race and you don’t have to split it with anyone.
“We look at every horse as an individual and we think it is the right thing to do with Imperatriz.
“We couldn’t have asked for a better start to the campaign, Ben Gleeson is doing an incredible job for us and the staff there are high quality, it is exciting.”
The five-time Group 1 winner is a raging hot $2.25 favourite to win the Moir and is $2.75 to win the Manikato, both races also at Moonee Valley.
While fellow Kiwi Mick Dee was in the saddle for her demolition job on Saturday, a jockey change is looking likely, with champion hoop Opie Bosson set to make the trip to Melbourne.
“Opie has the first choice to ride her, but if he can’t for whatever reason, we would love to have Mick Dee on again,” Ellis said.
Originally published as No Deal: Te Akau reject The Everest offers for Giga Kick slayer Imperatriz
Racing heavyweights endorse The Everest’s ‘deserved’ Group 1 status
The Everest and All-Star Mile have been announced as freshly-minted Group 1 races.
Japanese stayer to hit Warp Speed in Melbourne Cup
Competitive efforts in top staying races in his homeland should ensure Japanese stayer Warp Speed will be competitive in the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups.