Sunlight zeros in on $10m bonanza
SUNLIGHT could earn a staggering $10 million prizemoney in two weeks if she can win The Everest-Golden Eagle double.
Trainer Tony McEvoy has revealed a long-range term plan for his brilliant filly to target the two richest races in the southern hemisphere run in Sydney later this year.
The Everest, the world’s richest race on turf, is a weight-for-age sprint over 1200m at Randwick on October 19 with total stakes of $14 million.
Racing NSW is yet to announce the Everest prizemoney split but the winner will earn at least $6 million.
Then the inaugural $7.5 million Golden Eagle (1500m), a race restricted to four-year-olds, is run at Rosehill on November 2 with the winner earning $4.1 million.
“We want to go for The Everest and we are not ruling out the Golden Eagle, either,’’ McEvoy said. “She is a gun filly and is at her best on a quick back-up.’’
An outstanding threeyear-old filly Sunlight is already among the favourites for both mega-rich money races this year – and it is
understandable considering her outstanding form.
Sunlight, winner of the Magic Millions 2YO Classic on the Gold Coast and a third placegetter in the Golden Slipper last year, has trained on to win three races at Group 1 level this season including the William Reid Stakes at Moonee Valley last Friday night.
She has also won the Coolmore Stud Stakes and VRC Newmarket Handicap this season to take her career earnings to $4,133,950 with the promise of more to come.
Sunlight is the only threeyear-old to win against the older horses at Group 1 level at weight-for-age (William Reid) and handicap (Newmarket) level this season.
McEvoy’s more immediate aim for Sunlight is the Group 1 $2.5 million TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on April 6.
“We will come to Sydney and the weather will determine where we run,’’ the Melbourne-based McEvoy said.
“I think we would be loathe to run her on a heavy track so I have her in the TJ Smith Stakes and the Arrowfield (Stud Stakes, Randwick on April 13) as a back-up.
“She will have the one run in Sydney for the autumn and that will probably be it for her this season. She has already done amazing things this season and I want to give her a good spell then aim her at The Everest.’’