Storm Boy has been added to the list of horses who will contest this year’s The Everest with Coolmore opting for the rich sprint over stretching him out to the 1600 metres of the Caulfield Guineas.
The high-priced son of Justify will fill Coolmore’s slot in the $20 million 1200m race at Randwick on October 19.
Co-trainer Gai Waterhouse confirmed the plans from trackwork at Flemington on Tuesday morning.
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“They’ve had long discussions and he’ll go to The Everest,” Waterhouse said.
“So, they’ll bring him back in distance and go to The Everest.”
Storm Boy, who Coolmore acquired in a multi-million-dollar deal after his brilliant Magic Millions 2YO Classic win in January, heads to The Everest off a fourth placing in last Saturday’s Group 1 Golden Rose, beaten three-quarters-of-a-length by Broadsiding.
That followed a third placing in the Group 2 Run To The Rose (1200m) on September 14 after a first-up win in the Group 3 San Domenico Stakes (1100m) on August 31.
Waterhouse retains confidence in Storm Boy’s ability to run 1600m but said waiting the extra week could also play in his favour.
“He came out of it super, it’s interesting that not one of the horses that led won on Saturday – it was a swoopers’ track – and I thought he was enormously courageous,” Waterhouse said of the Golden Rose run.
“It’s interesting that his two dominant wins have been when they’ve been three weeks apart, Adam Hyeronimus made that comment, maybe he’s just a colt that needs that little bit of time between his runs.
“He’s a very big horse, maybe it’ll just suit him better.”
Storm Boy becomes the seventh confirmed for a spot in The Everest, joining I Wish I Win, Bella Nipotina, Joliestar, I Am Me, Stefi Magnetica and Bustling.
Five slots remain open with past winners Giga Kick, Think About It, dual placegetter Private Eye, Manikato Stakes winner Southport Tycoon, Sunshine In Paris and star three-year-olds Growing Empire and Traffic Warden in contention for positions.
– RAS NewsWire