Update On The Everest With Caravaggio Now In Doubt!

Written on the 11 August 2017

With only two months until Sydney's inaugural spring carnival showpiece event The Everest, it's still difficult to pick the potential runners in the 1200m sprint being held October 14th in Randwick.

Coolmore owned Caravaggio is now in doubt as a potential runner in The Everest after his second defeat at Prix Maurice de Gueest, Deauville in his past two starts.

The Aidan-O'Brien-trained colt, who started odds-on, could only manage sixth after a poor start in the race.

O'Brien felt the race may have come too soon after the July Cup for Caravaggio and said he may have needed a break.

"Maybe I ran too close after Newmarket," O'Brien said.

The Snowden team who are in the process of taking up 30 boxes at Flemington have Group 1 sprinters Russian Revolution and Redzel up and running and hoping to secure a ticket into the $10 million race.

"All good - they will both have another trial those two," Snowden said. "They may resume in the McEwan at Moonee Valley. One will go there and the other will run in The Shorts up here.

"I think their runs in the Moir (Stakes at Moonee Valey) will probably determine whether they run in the Everest.

"They will probably both run in that and then we'll make a decision from there whether we run in The Everest or not.

"It's (Moir Stakes) a Group 1 and it will be a telling race as far as The Everest is concerned."

The Sydney Casino bought a slot in the $10 million race and nominated Lindsay Park to provide a runner.

David Hayes said Newmarket Handicap winner Redkirk Warrior is favourite to take the slot at this stage.

Although the stable has not yet confirmed its nomination, Redkirk Warrior was favoured after his jump-out at Flemington last Friday.

The 6yo gelding will have a trial at Tatura on August 22nd before contesting the Group Two Bobbie Lewis Quality at Flemington on September 16th, which gives the stable four weeks until The Everest.

"He the favourite at the moment for that slot," Hayes said.

"He's a Group One horse and is good fresh."

Joe Pride-trained Terravista seems to have been forgotten for the sprint, however, Pride is training him as if he's already been nominated for the race, hoping someone who holds a slot will see this gelding as a good option.

Terravista is a dual Group One winner and multiple placegetter at the highest level, with the plan to go to The Everest fresh.

"I'm keen to get him in," Pride said.

"We know how good he is and he's terrific first-up so that's the plan and he'll be ready to go.

"He will have a sequence of trials, most likely three, starting on the 25th of August to have him primed for The Everest."

Pride has been in discussions with the Australian Turf Club, primarily, who has a slot in the race, which they put out to tender.

"I'd love him to be there. I'm confident he can beat any other sprinter on his day," Pride said.

"He is only lightly raced for an eight-year-old. He has only had 27 starts and we saw how he won the Lightning first-up in the autumn.

"They spruiked the good three-year-olds but he blew them away."

(Photo: Caravaggio - Photo source: racingpost.com)