INVINCIBLE Star, one of the fastest sprinters in training, is the 10th confirmed starter in the $ 13 million The Everest at Royal Randwick this spring.
In a surprise move, slot-holder Greg Ingham of GPI Racing is also a part-owner of superstar sprinter Chautauqua, but he has decided to secure Invincible Star as his Everest runner.
This comes on the eve of Chautauqua’s make-or-break barrier trial between races at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
CHAUTAUQUA: Jockey Berry backs horse to jump
Chautauqua has refused to leave the barriers in his last six barrier trials or jump-outs with Racing NSW stewards indicating this week they will refuse nominations for the champion sprinter in trials or races unless he jumps cleanly in Saturday’s barrier trial.
This may have influenced the decision of those behind the GPI Racing to lock in the brilliant Invincible Star as their Everest runner.
With confirmation that the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Invincible Star is into The Everest, this leaves only two starting positions remaining in the big race.
Leading owners Max Whitby and Neil Werrett, and the Australian Turf Club have yet to determine their Everest runners.
Invincible Star has only had five starts, winning twice at Group 3 level, but she showed her quality with a close second to Merchant Navy in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington last spring.
She hasn’t raced since but the formline has been franked with Merchant Navy training onto win at Group 1 level at Royal Ascot in June.
Invincible Star, who is set to resume in the Concorde Stakes at Randwick on September 1 against inaugural Everest winner Redzel, gives Waterhouse and Bott two starters in the world’s richest turf race with English already a confirmed Everest starter.
