The connections of Autumn Glow have fielded multiple approaches from The Everest slot holders to take on Ka Ying Rising in the A$20 million sprint later this year.
While most experts think the Hong Kong superstar only has to arrive in Sydney healthy and in modest form to win back-to-back Everest titles, ambitious slot holders have identified Autumn Glow as a worthy rival in the world’s richest turf race.
Idol Horse can reveal at least two slot holders have signalled an interest to Autumn Glow’s owners about her running in their slot for The Everest, despite the wonder mare having only run twice in races at 1200 metres or less.
Her unblemished record after 11 straight wins to begin her career came to an end when she was third behind Sir Delius in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes in her first attempt at 2000 metres on the second day of The Championships at Royal Randwick.
Master trainer Chris Waller issued an apology on social media the day after the race claiming he “simply got her distance range wrong”.
It was assumed Autumn Glow would be kept to races at a mile for her spring preparation, but it’s understood connections are giving serious thought to a titanic tussle with Ka Ying Rising in The Everest.
A meeting between Waller and Autumn Glow’s owners will be held imminently to decide on her spring target.
The $5 million King Charles Stakes over a mile on The Everest program is another potential goal, but an alternative schedule could feature the short-course double of The Everest and G1 Champions Sprint on the final day of the Melbourne Cup carnival at Flemington.
Having cruised to 20 straight wins and built his legend as the most dominant horse in Hong Kong racing history, Ka Ying Rising is as short as $1.50 with Australian bookmakers to win The Everest again.
Under a cool ride from Zac Purton, he coasted to victory in last year’s race and Ka Ying Rising’s trainer David Hayes conceded the sprinter wasn’t at his absolute best at Royal Randwick.
Autumn Glow kicked off her last campaign at 1400 metres before back-to-back Group 1 wins at a mile, but the lure of a massive payday in The Everest could be enough to entice connections if they want to concentrate on a pure sprinting path.
Such is the stranglehold Ka Ying Rising seemingly has on The Everest where he will run under the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s slot, rival slot holders who pick a horse to run under their banner are asking: who can we select to possibly beat him?
Usually at the end of Sydney’s lucrative autumn carnival and the TJ Smith Stakes, the blue riband sprint race, at least one or two slot holders will broker a deal to snap up a horse to represent them in The Everest.
The deals can be complex with the slot holder required to come to an agreement with the owners of a horse on how they will split prize money, jockey bookings and colours to be worn in the race.
Other incentives such as breeding rights can also be written into the contracts.
But this year not one single horse has officially been confirmed for the race in early May.
It’s why several slot holders are using outside-the-box thinking to see if they can tempt Autumn Glow’s connections to concentrate on a program exclusively restricted to sprint trips.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s Godolphin empire perhaps has the best Australian-trained hope in Tempted, who finished second behind Ka Ying Rising in last year’s The Everest and has since added another Group 1 success to her resume.
Godolphin own a slot in the race and can wait until race week before confirming Tempted as their representative.
The other placegetter from last year’s race, Jimmysstar, is also prominent on betting charts, and so is Golden Slipper winner Guest House, who will need to reach another level as a three-year-old to compete against the older and more decorated sprinters.
A sign of Ka Ying Rising’s shadow looming over The Everest is Joliestar, a slashing winner of the TJ Smith Stakes, being readied for a Royal Ascot campaign in preference for a third crack at The Everest. She was an unlucky fifth behind Ka Ying Rising last year.
Joliestar will be joined at Royal Ascot by fellow Australian-trained sprinters Overpass, Generosity and Asfoora, who will all have significant impediments to be primed for The Everest upon their return given the travel and quarantine requirements. ∎
