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By Ray Hickson

Perth’s leading owner Bob Peters has unveiled the three horses he says could be potential TAB Everest contenders after an inquiry from a slot holder this week.

Perth owner-breeder Bob Peters.

Last spring Peters campaigned his outstanding mare Arcadia Queen in Sydney, she ran 11th in the Everest and an unlucky fifth in the Golden Eagle and that’s the path his rising star Superstorm could follow in 2020.

Under Chris Waller’s care Arcadia Queen managed to win the Group 2 Theo Marks Stakes first-up while Peters also secured a slot for Enticing Star but that mare had to be retired after failing at her Sydney debut.

That slot, Chris Waller Racing, was eventually filled by the winner Yes Yes Yes.

Peters said Superstorm would be the most likely prospect, but would only target the Everest if he secured a slot early enough, and labelled lightly raced duo Windstorm and Showmanship as horses that could develop into high class sprinters.

“I had a call this week about (the Everest) and they asked me what I had,’’ Peters said on Perth radio.

“I told them there’s two or three horses there they could keep an eye on and see how they come up. Maybe the best one of them might be good enough.

“Obviously people are casting their eye all over the place and we’ll see what comes of it.’’

Superstorm is already Group 1 placed, he chased home Everest and Golden Eagle bound Alligator Blood in the Australian Guineas at the end of February, and was runner-up to stablemate Regal Power in the All Star Mile.

Peters said after the radio interview he hasn’t decided which path he’ll take with Superstorm towards the $7.5m Golden Eagle (1500m), for four-year-olds, including whether he’ll be transferred to Chris Waller or remain under Grant and Alana Williams’ care.

“He’s still in the paddock but will be due to come in shortly,’’ he said.

“He’ll take his time and get ready, we can trial him over here and have him ready to go.

“It depends on if he got a slot in the Everest, that might have a bearing on (program and trainer). At this stage I’d take him to Melbourne and go up to Sydney from there.’’

Arcadia Queen is unlikely to race in Sydney this spring, having been transferred back to the Williams stable, with Peters looking to Melbourne for her.

Superstorm isn’t currently in the TAB market for the Everest but he’s on the $11 line in Golden Eagle pre-noms betting.

So who are Windstorm and Showmanship?

Windstorm is also a rising four-year-old, he’s by Redoute’s Choice and has won two from two. He’s due to make his return at Belmont this Saturday where he’ll start a short priced favourite.

A new rising star in the West!

Windstorm maintains his unbeaten record with an amazing victory at Ascot with William Pike in the saddle.

Just how good could Windstorm be? pic.twitter.com/1Z2FmXT5R9

— Nick Quinn (@Quinny_1) October 16, 2019

Showmanship is soon to be five and he’s only had the three starts for two wins including a first-up success in Perth last weekend.

Peters concedes both horses would need to make huge steps through the grades between now and the spring to even be worthy of consideration for a slot owner, and they may be horses who emerge in 2021.

But it’s going to be a year of change for Australia’s richest race with the retirements of the likes of Redzel, Sunlight, Yes Yes Yes and Pierata. Nature Strip, the current favourite, is the only horse secured to date.

“It depends on how they come up. We don’t know what level they are going to get to yet because they are just starting off,’’ Peters said.

“You’ve got to have some sort of an aim and we’ve got some unfinished business in a few races over east.”

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