Champion jockey Glen Boss has shaken off injury concerns ahead of riding the Chris Waller-trained Yes Yes Yes in the $14 million Everest.
Boss’ mount The Drake was a late scratching after rearing up in the gates before the TAB Highway Handicap (1100m) at Randwick on Saturday, won by outsider Feel The Knight.
He was seen sitting on the ground before limping away from the barriers.
“I just twisted my knee, that’s all,” Boss later said in the stewards’ room.
There was more pre-race drama as the rest of the field was left to wait, with Burning Crown also withdrawn after playing up in the stalls.
Feel The Knight ($19) went on to score for Goulburn trainers Emma and Lucy Longmire by a short half-head from Lady Demi, with Can’t Find Snippy 1-1/4 lengths back third.
Emma Longmire, one part of the twin sister training duo, admitted she was relieved when the starter finally let them go.
“He did jump a bit awkwardly last time,” she said.
“We’re were confident he’d be right. We did a bit of homework with him at home.
“It’s always a bit of a wait when that happens but we were happy when they jumped.”
Longmire had been quietly confident heading into the Class Three race despite the four-year-old gelding turning in a disappointing seventh on an unsuitable wet track at Randwick on September 21.
“It’s a pretty rough race,” she said.
“We were really confident with how the horse was coming into it. His work this week has been sensational.”
She isn’t sure where she’ll take Feel The Knight next, but wouldn’t rule out a run at the Country Championship in the autumn.
“We might have a bit of fun with him,” she said.
“We’ll have to get him over a bit more ground first.”
