Byrne keen to start Everest climb with momentum
JOCKEY Jim Byrne will fly to Sydney this week with The Everest in his crosshairs but he wants to take care of business first at Eagle Farm today.
Byrne has a solid book of four rides at the midweek metropolitan meeting which will likely be his last day riding in Queensland for at least the next six weeks.
He will travel to the NSW capital tomorrow where he will base himself as he prepares to partner Rob Heathcote’s gun sprinter Rothfire throughout his massive spring preparation.
Rothfire begins his threeyear-old season at Rosehill on Saturday in the Group 2 Run To The Rose against Golden Slipper winner Farnan, dual Group 1 victor King’s Legacy and boom colt North Pacific.
It comes a little more than a week after the son of Rothesay was locked into the mirunners slot for the $15 million The Everest on October 17 at Randwick, where he is rated an $11 chance with bookies.
Byrne was keen to head south with momentum and steers four leading chances at the midweek race day.
Byrne piloted the son of Hallowed Crown when finishing runner-up on debut over 1200m a fortnight ago and expects the colt to give himself every chance of going one better second up.
“He should give us a good sight,” Byrne said. “The horse goes good but the horse of the Edmonds’ Pernell will be hard to beat after having no luck on a couple of occasions.
“My bloke was good on debut and looks suited by the step up in trip so fingers crossed he runs well.”
Tab.com.au rated Shamrock Lu as a $1.55 chance late yesterday afternoon while Byrne’s remaining rides are all prominent in early markets.
Byrne rides Howwonderfullifeis for Gollan, which he describes as a ‘push button’ mare and expects will be hard to beat in the Mount Franklin Class 6 Plate (1000m). The hoop also rides the Toby and Trent Edmonds-trained Tayella in a 1200m Maiden Plate as well as Kris Lees’ Midland in a Class 2 Handicap (1200m).