Corey Brown has taken every opportunity to get to know the horse he hopes to partner to victory in the inaugural $10 million The Everest.
Brown was given the nod last weekend to ride Golden Slipper winner She Will Reign in Saturday’s Everest (1200m) at Randwick and has been a regular aboard the Gary Portelli-trained filly in trackwork over the past week.
He will ride her in a more serious piece of work at Warwick Farm on Tuesday after riding her in a three-quarter pace hit-out on Saturday morning.
“I’ll tell you where you know she’s a good horse, I thought I was doing three-quarter (pace) and I went a little bit quick up the straight,” Brown said.
“Not overly too quick, but she was running good time and feeling like she was doing three-quarter (pace).”
She Will Reign’s Golden Slipper-winning jockey Ben Melham gsve up the battle to get to 51kg to ride the filly in the Everest.
Kerrin McEvoy rode She Will Reign when she resumed with a stunning win in the Moir Stakes last Friday week but was committed to Redzel, paving the way for Brown’s call-up.
He has enjoyed getting to know her.
“The first morning because she hadn’t been on the track since the Moir, she was really fresh,” Brown said.
“She was really strong with me but now that I’ve got to know her and she’s got to know me, she relaxed really good for me the two days after that.”
She Will Reign is the $4.60 favourite for The Everest.
“Obviously it will come down to barrier draws and luck in running but she’s definitely pulled up well from the run (in the Moir) and I’m just glad I’ve gotten to know her before race day,” he said.
“I’m stoked to be riding her.”
