Five horses have so far been confirmed for The Everest 2017 field this spring and now Blake Shinn has secured the first official mount in the $10 million feature on English.

The Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Group 1 winning mare was the fifth horse to earn a slot in the Restricted weight-for-age sprint that runs for the first time at Royal Randwick on October 14, 2017.

It has since been announced the daughter of Encosta De Lago will have Shinn in the saddle when she races in Australia’s richest race this Sydney Spring Racing Carnival.

Shinn has ridden English under race conditions seven times over her 17 start career including for her 2015 Golden Slipper Stakes second early on.

“He’s been English’s regular rider since she was a two-year-old so we’ll stick to a proven formula hopefully,” part-owner John Kelly told Sky Sports Radio.

“He’s got a very good record on her.”

To date the rising five-year-old has amassed over $2.55 million in prize money thanks mainly to her 2016 All Aged Stakes win and her two TJ Smith Stakes placings.

Last year she was third behind Chautauqua in the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m), run over the same track and distance as The Everest, with Shinn aboard.

Then this April she looked the winner up front in the same sprint classic, before the ‘Grey Flash’ came from the back of the field to run her down and win his third straight TJ Smith Stakes.

Chautauqua is also one of the confirmed The Everest horses and leads all-in betting at Ladbrokes.com.au on the race paying $4.80.

English is at $13 in the futures The Everest odds and was last seen running sixth behind Secret Agenda at Morphettville on May 6 in the Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m).

That was the only one of her five starts so far for 2017 that Shinn didn’t partner the class mare, Ben Melham aboard in the Adelaide showdown.

After failing to perform at her best on the wet Sydney tracks over the autumn, connections are hoping for firmer ground in the spring leading into The Everest.

“She loves the 1200 metres at Randwick…she’s just never had a crack at a dry track,” Kelly said.

“So it’ll be very interesting to see her when she gets on top of the ground.”

English is tipped to run first-up in the $200,000 Group 2 The Shorts (1100m) at Randwick on September 16 before backing-up at the track a fortnight later in the $500,000 Group 2 Premiere Stakes (1200m).

To check out the latest The Everest 2017 racing odds head to Ladbrokes.com.au.