Bott denies it’s Star D-Day
INVINCIBLE Star has two key advantages over Redzel in Saturday’s Group 3 Concorde Stakes at Randwick that she won’t enjoy on Everest day, but Adrian Bott has downplayed the pressure on her to win the race.
The I Am Invincible mare will meet Redzel 2kg worse off on The Everest day and the 1200m will suit the defending champion more which is why critics believe if she can’t beat him on Saturday over 1000m she faces an impossible mission on October 13.
But Bott and co-trainer Gai Waterhouse don’t see it that way.
“She gets good conditions on the weekend but we’re still a while away from the main prize so it’s still not D-Day for her on Saturday,” Bott said.
“She’s got nothing to prove on Saturday but we’re going there confident of where she’s at and we expect her to run really well.
“The 1000m will suit and it will be a very good test for her but there will still be improvement to come.”
Invincible Star was snapped up for The Everest by slot holder GPI Racing after the four-year-old put in a scintillating barrier trial at Randwick over 850m on August 13.
She beat home Zousain that day by 10 lengths in a lovely display of speed and she’ll be out to set the pace again.
She’s already won at Group 3 level and was second in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) to star colt Merchant Navy.
But she’s never taken on a horse as tough as Redzel, who is a $1.70 favourite with Ladbrokes to win the Concorde Stakes, with Invincible Star the only other horse in single figures at $2.30.
“We’re delighted with her. She had a nice gallop at Canterbury last week which was her main piece of work,” Bott said.
“She trialled strongly and we gave her a good hitout in that trial so she was nice and forward for this run.
“The Everest is a big help in making these sprints even more competitive.”