Redzel tunes up for Everest hat-trick bid
Trainer Peter Snowden declared two-time Everest winner Redzel was going as well as ever heading into the world’s richest race on turf after an impressive hitout at Gosford. WATCH THE TRIAL
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Two-time Everest champion Redzel is going as well as when he won the race last year, according to trainer Peter Snowden, who enjoyed watching him cruise around in a barrier trial at Gosford.
Ridden by regular rider Kerrin McEvoy, the seven-year-old beat fellow Everest contender In Her Time (who also looked great) by 1¼-lengths in the 1000m heat and displayed the typical style that’s carried him to 15 career wins.
He covered the course in 58.99 seconds and last 600m in 34.58 seconds to please Team Snowden as they put the finishing touches on him before the $14 million race at Royal Randwick on October 19.
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“It was good and he’s on track,” Snowden said. “It all went to plan this morning. I’m very happy with him. His two runs this time in have been good and so has his work.
“I think he’s in similar form to last year’s Everest and he looks every bit as good as he did when he won it last time.”
#TheTABEverest contenders Redzel @SnowdenRacing1 and In Her Time @Leesracing ran 1 – 2 in their trial @gossytrack not long ago, with #TheKosciuszko horse Bobbing in 3rd - Last 600m 34:58.
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 7, 2019
Things are looking good for @royalrandwick on October 19! pic.twitter.com/sxcGgMEEnj
There’s already, as expected, been a few surprises in the lead-up to Australia’s richest race.
Brutal came out and knocked off Classique Legend in the Premiere Stakes last Saturday, while Sunlight bounced back to defeat Santa Ana Lane in the Gilgai Stakes on the same day in Melbourne.
Nature Strip hasn’t been entered in the Group 2 Schillaci Stakes (an Everest qualifier) this weekend, further adding to the speculation that he’ll be Chris Waller’s Everest runner following Enticing Star’s retirement.
One thing Team Snowden does know is they have got the horse who will jump and land on the speed and give himself every chance to win The Everest for a third time.
If he does that, he will take his career earnings to $21.7 million.
Pierata and Santa Ana Lane are the equal $5 favourites for the 1200m event with Redzel at $7. Pierata continues to attract good support with TAB, who took a bet of $7000 at $5 on the Greg Hickman-trained sprinter.
“It’s very hard to judge the race at the moment,” Snowden said. “It might look better after the barrier draw next Tuesday but whatever is there it will be 12 of the best.
“We’ve got our bloke as good as he can be and he’ll put himself into the race once again, you can be sure of that.”
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In other Everest news, Godolphin’s leading contender to run in their slot, Osborne Bulls, was ruled out of the race and the spring carnival on Wednesday after he continued to display lameness following his last placing in the Premiere Stakes on Saturday.
Trainer James Cummings said the team “won’t rush to run him” after he pulled up three out of five lame in the off fore following Saturday’s first-up run.
Trainer James Cummings reported that upon return to the stable, Osborne Bulls continued to display lameness in the off foreleg. Accordingly, the Cummings stable has elected to spell the gelding and Osborne Bulls will not race again during the spring carnival
— Racing NSW Stewards (@RNSWStewards) October 8, 2019
He was the Blue Army’s likely Everest runner and was a $9 chance in the race before he was officially spelled on Tuesday.
Godolphin still have two genuine Everest contenders to choose from in Golden Rose winner Bivouac ($9) and $13 chance Alizee who has a track gallop on the Kensington track at Randwick on Wednesday.
Slot holder James Harron has confirmed he is in negotiations with Brutal’s owners about taking his vacancy. Harron said he had narrowed his choice down to “two or three sprinters”.
“My plan is to also talk with the boys at Godolphin in the next day or so to see what they are thinking about Alizee and Bivouac,’’ Harron said.
Coolmore’s Tom Magnier will talk with trainer Chris Waller on Tuesday to finalise race plans for Yes Yes Yes but the owner was more definitive on Irish raider Ten Sovereigns.
“The ‘lads’ are really happy with Ten Sovereigns, he’s settled in really well at Canterbury and will probably have a good gallop later this week,’’ Magnier said. “If we get a dry track for The Everest, Ten Sovereigns will run and Ryan Moore will ride him.’’
Hickman put the blinkers on Pierata and got race jockey Tommy Berry to put the sprinter through his paces at Warwick Farm on Monday. “Tommy said, ‘I don’t think you can get him any fitter’. His work was super. He pulled up ‘good’,” Hickman told Sky Sports Radio.
Trek to Everest
Trekking remained the favourite to take out Saturday’s $400,000 Group 2 Schillaci Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield after drawing barrier five in the Everest qualifying race.
The winner of Saturday’s race will go on to race in the Melbourne Racing Club’s Everest slot and Trekking leads the market at $2.80.
The nine-horse field meant the pre-draw prices remained the same for each horse and The Bostonian ($5.50) and Viridine ($7.50) are challenging for second favouritism.
The withdrawal of Nature Strip means he’s even more likely now to race in the Chris Waller slot after he lost Enticing Star after she was retired not long after putting in a below par run first-up at Rosehill.
Originally published as Redzel tunes up for Everest hat-trick bid