World in awe of Everest
COOLMORE’S Tom Magnier maintains the $ 13 million Everest has put Sydney and Australian racing on the world’s sporting stage.
Magnier, who part- owns Irish sprinter and Everest hopeful US Navy Flag, said there is unprecedented interest the world’s richest turf race, run at Royal Randwick on October 13.
“I have never seen anything like it,’’ Magnier said at Canterbury trackwork yesterday.
“There is the Pegasus ( World Cup) in America but this is a whole different league. What Peter V’landys and the team at Racing NSW and the ATC have done with The Everest should be applauded.
“It ( Everest) is a fantastic concept and has really put racing on the front pages.
“The whole world is watching this race. Everyone is talking about it in Ireland, they are talking about it in America, and in Japan. It’s a massive thing and great for racing.’’
The Aidan O’Brien- trained US Navy Flag and travelling companion Somerset Maugh- am went out for some light exercise on the Canterbury polytrack yesterday morning, less than 24 hours after their arrival in Sydney.
“US Navy Flag had a canter to have a look at the facilities and get to know his way around,’’ Magnier said. “We will step him up in a couple of days.
“The facilities here are fantastic with the polytrack and the turf track. When you come such a long way and to be looked after like this is great.
“We will tell everyone in Europe about these facilities and I’m sure more will come to Sydney from overseas to race.’’
US Navy Flag, raced by Coolmore, is the first northern hemisphere- trained runner in The Everest and O’Brien’s first- ever Sydney starter.
Magnier said Coolmore was hopeful of starting Caravaggio in the inaugural The Everest last year and there was disappointment when the sprinter’s form tapered and the trip to Sydney was ruled out.
But US Navy Flag, a twotime Group 1 winner as a juvenile, confirmed an Everest start when he won his third major in the July Cup at Newmarket.
“When we dropped him back in trip that’s the day the light came on and he did what Aidan thought he would do,’’ Magnier said.
“The way he won the July Cup we were delighted. We tried to run Caravaggio in the Everest last year but that didn’t go according to plan.
“Hopefully we have the right horse but there’s a lot of great sprinters in Australia so we know we have our work cut out.’’