Game Changing Race Looms

Tara Madgwick - Wednesday September 18
For the past two seasons, the world's richest sprint, The Everest has been won by Redzel setting his sire Snitzel up for successive Australian Champion Sire titles, but this year there is change in the air.

PierroCoolmore's Golden Slipper winning sire Pierro has made a flying start to the new season reeling off 31 winners , which is second only to I Am Invincible, who set an Australian record for winners and stakes-winners last season

Among those winners for Pierro are two of the very best Everest contenders in Arcadia Queen and Pierata.

The 'wonder from the west', Arcadia Queen made a winning Sydney debut for the Chris Waller stable last Saturday in the Group II ATC Theo Marks Stakes over 1300 metres and if her trainer can keep her fresh enough, she's going to be hard to hold out in The Everest.

Five year-old stallion Pierata ended last season with a wqin in the Group I ATC All Aged Stakes and was very nearly retired to stud at the end of last season, but has remained in work thanks to the lure of The Everest.

His trainer Greg Hickman will have him cherry ripe for The Everest following his slashing first up second two weeks ago to Redzel in the Group III ATC Concorde Stakes and it's worth remembering Pierata won the Group III ATC Sydney Stakes on Everest day last year in faster time than The Everest won by Redzel.

The Everest could also prove a game changer for Arrowfield Stud's quiet achiever Not a Single Doubt, who currently leads the Australian sires list and will be represented in the race by exciting grey sprinter Classique Legend.

He's yet to be tested in Group I company, but trainer Les Bridge has won a Golden Slipper and Melbourne Cup, so why not an Everest!

Worth $14million this year, The Everest will have a profound effect on the Australian General Sires title and whoever stallion sires the winner will take a power of running down in the race to be Champion Sire by earnings.

All sires listed below with over $1million in earnings.






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