Three confirmed Everest contenders and some other high-profile contenders for a slot in the $14 million race are in line to clash in the Concorde Stakes at Randwick.
Entries for Saturday’s Group Three Concorde Stakes (1000m) have been extended after seven nominations were taken on Monday but it is packed with quality.
Sunlight, Pierata and dual Everest winner Redzel are among the entries and that trio already have slots in the the $14 million Everest next month.
But it is Group One winner Nature Strip who has been installed an early favourite in Concorde Stakes odds at $2.10.
Randwick was rated heavy at nominations time and connections of Sunlight have entered the three-time Group One winner for Saturday’s Group Two McEwen Stakes (1000m) at The Valley in Melbourne to keep options open.
Nature Strip has also been nominated for the McEwen.
Sunlight is prepared by Tony McEvoy who announced last weekend he was forming a training partnership with his son Calvin.
“Sunlight has been up in Sydney for quite a while now and she has trialled up there twice,” Calvin McEvoy said on Monday.
“Probably the preference has always been Sydney (Concorde Stakes) but we’re just doing that bit of weather watching at the moment. There’s nothing wrong with keeping your options open.
“So she’s nominated in Melbourne as well and we’ll just look at both races and Dad will decide which one is most suitable for her to kick off.”
Sunlight, winner of last season’s Coolmore Stud Stakes, Newmarket Handicap and William Reid Stakes at Group One level, won two barrier trials at Randwick during August.
The four-year-old mare has the The Everest as her main target on October 19 and Calvin McEvoy said they have been really happy with her build-up.
“I was up there 10 days ago and she had a gallop and she’s incredible,” he said.
“We’ve been saying every season she has come back and she has grown more and matured more. But she looks like the complete package now, physically, and it’s just a dream to be associated with a horse like that.
“Going into this preparation already with the slot in the Everest has just made life a lot easier to be able to have no pressure to have her vying for one of those spots.
“We can just program her accordingly to get her to peak on grand final day.”
