Weir’s Everest puzzle

DARREN Weir can’t understand how his gifted sprinter Nature Strip hasn’t yet secured a berth in The Everest.

“He’s the best sprinter I’ve ever trained and he should be in the race,” Weir said.

Weir already has one runner in Australia’s richest race — Brave Smash, who ran a first-up third at Caulfield on Saturday in The Heath.

This Saturday, Weir is hoping Nature Strip can gain a start in the $13 million The Everest, at Randwick on October 13, by winning the Group 2 $200,000 McEwan Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley.

There are two slots still not filled in The Everest.

Although not in the race, Nature Strip is an $8 chance behind Trapeze Artist at $4.50 and Redzel ($6).

Nature Strip has had 10 starts for seven wins and two seconds. He has had three starts for Weir for three wins, including his last-start win in the Lightning Stakes in Adelaide by six lengths.

After Nature Strip’s win at his last start, his owners en- tered negotiations with one of the slot holders but talks broke down. Nature Strip’s regular jockey Damian Lane was suspended by stewards on Saturday for 10 meetings and he has been replaced by Mark Zahra.

Zahra was down to ride the flying mare Snitty Kitty but jumped ship when Lane was suspended on Friday night.

Snitty Kitty’s trainer Henry Dwyer said he had had plenty of calls from jockey managers.

Dwyer said he was concerned that Snitty Kitty and Nature Strip could take each other on in a speed battle but it fitted nicely into her program.

“If she was to run well, we would then run her in the Moir Stakes, so it might be worth a look at Moonee Valley,” he said.

Dwyer said Arrowfield Stud had purchased a 30 per cent share in Snitty Kitty six weeks ago. Last preparation, Snitty Kitty finished second in the Oakleigh Plate and fourth in The Galaxy at Group 1 level.

Dwyer said he didn’t plan to stretch Snitty Kitty out over 1200m and would keep her at 1000m for the spring preparation.