Joe Pride is resigned to playing a waiting game with his two Everest hopefuls but he remains optimistic of getting at least one of them into the $15 million race.
South Australian Behemoth became the seventh horse confirmed for the sprint when he was snapped up this week by slot holders The Star.
It came on the back of his second consecutive Group One win after he added Saturday’s Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield to his Memsie Stakes victory.
Pride has Eduardo and Fasika still in the mix for the five vacant spots and says both continue to be on the radar of slot holders.
Pride didn’t accept with Fasika for Saturday’s Golden Pendant at Rosehill with the trainer instead choosing to head to the Premiere Stakes seven days later where she will get a final chance to show she is worthy of an Everest berth.
“She doesn’t like Rosehill and I just want to get her back to Randwick and I think that’s the best race for her, the Premiere,” Pride said.
“She has never missed a place at Randwick or Warwick Farm, the only place she has missed a place in her life is Rosehill.”
Eduardo finished a courageous second to Classique Legend in The Shorts last weekend and Pride is adamant he deserves his place in the Everest field.
However, he believes the remaining slot holders are keeping their powder dry.
“I think everybody wants to see what happens this weekend in the Golden Rose and we may even have to wait for Premiere weekend,” Pride said.
“I’ve got no doubt he is in the best 12 sprinters in Australia. Nash is telling me he will run top three.
“I hope he gets in because I know he won’t let me down.”
Eduardo won’t run again until Everest day on October 17 with the Group Three Sydney Stakes the back-up plan.
