Paul Snowden is confident Mazu will take his place in The Everest after a case of Redzel déjà vu on Saturday when he was a late scratching from the Premiere Stakes after walking out of his box lame.
On Saturday afternoon the chiropractor and physiotherapist worked on Mazu, which was sore across his hind quarters, and he was able to do treadmill work on Sunday morning.
Mazu is set to barrier trial this week in preparation for The Everest after being lame on Saturday.Credit: Racing Queensland
“He just put his back out and once they got to work on him, he was fine,” Snowden said. “It was so disappointing because he was ready to run a race in the Premiere because he was feeling so well.
“It has happened before to us with Redzel, which was scratched on race morning from the Premiere when he was lame and he went on to win his second Everest a couple of weeks later.
“The good thing is because of Redzel we have a camera in that box and we have been back through the footage to work out what he did to himself.
“It was a good sign to get him on the treadmill and the plan will be to have a trial now, probably on Tuesday but Friday is also an option.”
The Rosehill course proper barrier trial is already laden with Everest horses with Buenos Noches, In Secret, Overpass and Shinzo to line up over 1000m on Tuesday.
Shinzo has been working well since he pulled up lame with a heel problem after the Golden Rose, and the trial with three-time Everest-winning hoop Kerrin McEvoy in the saddle on Tuesday will decide if the colt is to run in the $20 million showcase on October 14.
Coolmore, which owns Shinzo, has him as first choice for its slot, and along with Yulong, Chris Waller and Aquis, is yet to confirm its Everest runner.
Alcohol Free probably did enough to run for owner Yulong in their slot when she finished fourth in Think About It’s Premiere Stakes on Saturday. Several slot-holders are looking at Premiere runner-up Hawaii Five Oh, which should have a deal done in the next couple of days.
Lucky silks a Proven form of success
Warwick Farm trainer Joe Pride has won the two Everest lead-ups with Private Eye and Think About It but it has left him with a big decision to make with his two Proven Thoroughbreds stars.
The pair wore the same set of colours as they won The Shorts and the Premiere Stakes. The silks are somewhat lucky as Think About It’s jockey Sam Clipperton had them on for his Kingsford Smith Cup and Stradbroke wins as well as Saturday’s victory.
“I couldn’t be happier with both of them, but colours will be an interesting choice,” Pride said.
Think About It is the $4 Everest favourite after his gutsy Premiere win, but Private Eye still has Pride questioning which is his better chance at Randwick on October 14.
“They both have improvement left in them but Think About It – he is just a winner and can see that in his record,” Pride said. “He can just hold sustained speed and when they come at him, he can kick again that’s pretty special.
“I think Private Eye has a sharper turn of foot. We find out on Everest day, which one is better.”
Private Eye will complete his Everest preparation with a barrier trial at Randwick on Friday.
National tote pool should be discussed by racing minsters
Australian racing ministers will meet this week and the national tote should be top of the agenda as it will help smaller states and add to the liquidity of racing’s gambling ecosystem.
Racing is divided across state lines in Australia with each state having its own legislation for the TAB and takeouts, but that should no longer be a barrier to a national tote.
The technology exists to allow co-mingled pools at different takeout rates as is seen by the World Pool, operated by the Hong Kong Jockey Club with the aid of a gateway operated by Tabcorp.
The biggest pool every week available to Australian punters are those co-mingled Hong Kong pools, while minor greyhound and trotting races struggle to get holds per race above $10,000 on the tote.
Bigger pools would allow bigger betting with punters able to get set for larger amounts without significantly affecting price. More betting means more revenue for State governments.
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The next couple of weeks will give an illustration of the benefit of bigger tote pools as the World Pool will operate on the Turnbull Stakes, Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate, Derby Day and Melbourne Cup meeting in Victoria and Everest Day in Sydney.
Lees decides Protagonist will take on the Hill
Newcastle trainer Kris Lees has waited and thinks he has found the right race for Protagonist in the Hill Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday.
In days gone by, Lees would have had the import in the Epsom, but there so many more options these days and he selected the $2 million group 2 at 1900m.
“He is just looking for that bit more of a trip. Racing NSW has given us so many good money options that we just have to pick the right one, and I hope I have,” Lees said.
“He is already a Rosehill winner and I think they might have been a bit sharp for him in the Epsom. The form out of the Kingston Town [Stakes, where he was fourth to Metropolitan winner Just Fine] looks all right and the way he is working he is ready to run a big race.”
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