Having watched fellow Mornington trainer Clayton Douglas pull off an Everest coup with Giga Kick, Jerome Hunter is hoping to make an audacious Sydney raid of his own.
Hunter will bring two horses to Randwick on Saturday, headlined by Queensland Oaks runner-up Barb Raider, who resumes in the $2 million The Invitation (1400m).
If she performs to expectations, the four-year-old could back up seven days later in the $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m).
First prizemoney for the two races combined is an eye-watering $6.25 million and would eclipse even the $6.2 million purse Giga Kick claimed in winning The Everest.
However, while a Golden Eagle start is back of mind, Hunter’s sole focus for now is on Barb Raider’s task this weekend and he is confident she is up for the challenge.
“Everyone hopes to have a horse that can be competitive in these races and, on what she has shown this campaign, she definitely hasn’t gone backwards,” Hunter said.
“We will have to see what she is like during the week, but fingers crossed we can have a go at both of them.”
Group 1 placed in the Thousand Guineas as a spring three-year-old, Barb Raider was just as effective in the autumn and winter, capturing The Roses in Brisbane and placing in the Australasian and Queensland Oaks.
But she also has a commanding fresh record, winning the Group 3 The Vanity (1400m) first-up in February and holding out Argentia in the Group 2 Kewney Stakes (1600m) at her next start.
Hunter has been careful to keep the speed in her legs for her Sydney assignments and provided she can make the leap from three-year-old company to mares’ grade, he is confident she will perform well.
“She is up against older mares now but I’m sure she has improved,” he said.
“She is a lot more mature and she has filled out a lot more too.”
Apprentice Will Price will partner Barb Raider with regular rider Craig Williams in Melbourne for the Cox Plate meeting.
