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By Ray Hickson

Everest slots are likely on the line for a number of the runners in Saturday's Group 2 $1 million Toyota Forklifts Shorts (1100m) at Royal Randwick. Here's an in-depth look at the chances of every runner in the crucial prelude to the $20 million TAB Everest.

1. Private Eye (Joe Pride): If you judge him on his trials leading in then he’s well an truly coming up nicely. Nash asked him to do a little bit in the second hitout and he arrives at an 1100m race for the first time since December 2020. What we’ve come to learn about him is he goes very well fresh and is an effective sprinter so you’d expect him to be charging at the line. He was going to get back a little regardless of the draw but with nine of 12 he’ll go back and balance up. Runner-up in last year’s Everest and a good first-up performance would put him in line for a slot. If he wins it’d be an ominous sign. TAB Everest price: $15.

2. Mazu (Peter & Paul Snowden): Ran fifth in this race a year ago when resuming from a spell before placing in the Premiere and the Everest. It’s safe to say he will be improving on whatever he does in this race and he’s in the handy position of already having a slot in the big one in a month’s time. That’s shown in his trials too where he’s just moseyed around without a care in the world. He rarely is too far from them at the finish, you wonder if he needs a wet track to be most effective but last time we saw him was on good ground and he ran third in the Doomben 10,000 to Giga Kick and Overpass. Don’t have him marked as the winner here but the only surprise would be if he underperforms. TAB Everest price: $15.

Lost And Running (Pic: Steve Hart)

3. Lost And Running (John O’Shea): Haven’t seen a horse trialling better in recent weeks than him and if that reflects in his racing then he’s going to win a race or two this spring. He ran third after a wide run in this race last year behind Nature Strip then won the Premiere second-up. He seems to be tracking along similar lines and where he finds himself in the run here will likely dictate his finishing position. If he finds a back to follow into the race he can be dangerous late. TAB Everest price: $26.

4. Overpass (Bjorn Baker): Well it’s advantage Overpass when it comes to the barriers because from gate one he’s going to land either in front or behind the leader. Runner-up to Nature Strip in this last year after he drew wide and sat outside Eduardo on the speed. Only a brief autumn campaign where he held off a good one in Perth then was gallant to Giga Kick in Brisbane. His trials have been faultless and he has the ideal set up to prove he’s entitled to be in the Everest field. TAB Everest price: $21.

5. In Secret (James Cummings): Fitness probably just got her first-up in the Concorde but the narrow defeat showed she’s on target for the Everest. Naturally she will come on from that and 1100m is more her cup of tea. Importantly she meets Remarque 2.5kg better for their clash two weeks ago and she’ll probably be on his back in the run from a perfect draw. It’s hard to see him holding her off again. She’s entitled to be favourite for this race and the horse to beat. TAB Everest price: $11.

6. Buenos Noches (Matthew Smith): Put himself in the Everest picture with a dynamic first-up win in the Show County and while it’s an interesting move coming back 100m it might just work out for him given where he’s drawn. Can land in the first half of the field and in the vicinity of the favourite which would be a good target to follow. Ticked over nicely winning a trial under two weeks ago. If he’s Everest material then he’ll be around the mark and he just might well be. TAB Everest price: $15.

7. Remarque (Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes): Didn’t have the best of runs in the Concorde but prevailed in a driving finish. He’s worse off at the weights under this scale so he’ll need to step up. It really is an acid test for him as he’s won five races and four of them have been first-up – the other was second-up last spring. Has more in his favour when it comes to the barrier draw so he gets his chance to prove if he is an Everest candidate. Happy to risk him though. TAB Everest price: $15.

8. Ruthless Dame (Ciaron Maher & David Eustace): Group 1 winner in Adelaide back in May as a $14 chance and did run a respectable race in the Stradbroke. Warmed up okay with two trials leading into this race and if she runs up to her performance in the Surround, when touched out by Sunshine In Paris, she could be a threat here. But she hasn’t won below 1200m and certainly not against this sort of field so she’s another with something to prove. TAB Everest price: $51.

Hawaii Five Oh (Pic: Bradley Photos)

9. Hawaii Five Oh (Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott): Not sure how to line him up but he did enjoy a quick rise in the autumn from a Class 1 defeat (to Major Beel) to a placing in the Stradbroke and a couple of Group 3 wins in between. Is he sharp enough for 1100m in this company? He was sent along leading all the way to win his latest trial and a good track is definitely in his favour. Is obviously talented and if he’s in the finish here fresh then he can be a sprinting force. Just have that short trip query with him. TAB Everest price: $26.

10. Rocketing By (David Pfieffer): We know his level pretty well and he’s capable of pulling out a bit run now and then as he did to win the Sydney Stakes last year. Ran home without threatening in the Concorde to finish fifth, there’s more depth here so it’ll take a career best performance to win this. TAB Everest price: $101.

11. Athelric (James Cummings): Started $41 in this race last year and finished midfield on a soft 7 track. Yet to win first-up and seems more a Listed/Group 3 performer than an Everest class horse. Wide gate doesn’t help his cause either and while he’s trialling well it’s hard to make a case for him at this level. TAB Everest price: N/A.

12. Casino Lord (Cody Morgan): Probably eyeing that last spot in The Kosciuszko and you’d have to say he didn’t run badly in the Concorde as he picked up some late ground to get within a length of Nature Strip at the finish but still six from the winner. He goes back and will look to be flashing home, if he can sneak into fifth or sixth in this field it’d be interesting for his chances of filling that last Kosciuszko spot. TAB Everest price: N/A.

SPEED MAP: This is a tricky one and on paper it may not be frenetically run. Overpass should bounce from gate one and put himself right up there, and he could easily lead them. Remarque from right next to him can be right there. Hawaii Five Oh could be forward and does Athelric roll the dice from the outside? Mazu has a decision from out there too, imagine he looks to slot in somewhere and hit the line. In Secret and Buenos Noches have drawn ideally to stalk the leaders.

SELECTIONS:
5 IN SECRET
4 Overpass
6 Buenos Noches
3 Lost And Running

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Randwick meeting