Adrian Bott has confirmed the stable’s two Everest runners will continue their spring campaigns in Sydney with Hawaii Five Oh to target the Golden Eagle and Alcohol Free vying for a spot in The Invitation.
Hawaii Five Oh finished sixth to Think About It in The Everest (1200m) after going back from a wide gate and doing his best work late.
Bott believes he is looking for more ground and sees the step up to 1500m in next month’s $10 million Golden Eagle at Rosehill as ideal.
“I can’t wait for Hawaii to get to the Golden Eagle,” Bott told Sky Racing radio.
“The draw hurt us a little in The Everest, we didn’t quite get the run in transit that we were hoping to get, but no doubt he’s ready to bounce back and win a big one himself.
“He’s in really good order and has come through that race in great shape.”
Bott is also keen for Alcohol Free to extend in distance and while the mare hasn’t threatened in her two spring runs, he is adamant the multiple Group 1 winner will make her mark in Australia.
He is hoping she can secure a start in the $2 million The Invitation (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday week and bounce back to form after finishing at the tail of the Everest field.
“She is certainly going much better than that and she’s a better mare than that,” he said.
“Hopefully we can find the right conditions for her at some point over the carnival here, find the right race.”
Bott and training partner Gai Waterhouse will have a handy team at Randwick this weekend led by Converge and Zoumon in the $1 million Five Diamonds Prelude (1500m).
Stablemate Journalism is a dual acceptor for the Prelude and Big Dance Wildcard (1600m) and has a better draw in the latter with gate seven compared to barrier 15 in the Five Diamonds lead-up.
Converge, who has drawn 13, is coming off an unplaced run in the Epsom Handicap and Bott is hoping a class drop will prove significant.
“He obviously has to carry a bit of weight with the penalties here (59.5kg), but it’s one of the easier races we’ve put him in over the last twelve months,” Bott said.
“Hopefully that can help him be better placed and try to get back to some winning form.”
Bott is also looking forward to two-year-olds Shangri La Express and The Three Hundred making their respective debuts in the Kirkham Plate (1000m) with both juveniles on trial for a start in the Golden Gift (1100m) next month.
“These are the types, making their debuts at this time of year, you’re looking towards a Golden Gift (with) and trying to qualify them for that,” Bott said.
“The Three Hundred has had two impressive trials at Warwick Farm. He’s shown nice improvement, so he’s got a good foundation.
“Shangri La Express, just off the one trial but I thought he was very good. He’s open to some nice improvement off the back of that.”
