The Lindsay Park stable train three of the 12 sprinters facing off in the $10 million The Everest race in Sydney this weekend including Redkirk Warrior who is out to prove his brilliance isn’t just reserved for Flemington.
Redkirk Warrior is one of three Lindsay Park-trained horses in Saturday’s 2017 The Everest field. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
Co-trainer Ben Hayes watched stablemates Vega Magic, Tulip and Redkirk Warrior gallop on Monday morning leading-up to the inaugural edition of the Restricted The Everest (1200m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Current The Everest odds at Ladbrokes.com.au have the Gary Portelli-trained Golden Slipper winning filly She Will Reign as the $4.60 favourite following her first-up win in the Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m) at The Valley.
From the Lindsay Park-trained The Everest contingent the shortest-priced is last start Memsie Stakes winner Vega Magic ($6) followed by Redkirk Warrior ($8), while their filly Tulip is a $51 roughie.
Redkirk Warrior has been a revelation for the stable since arriving down under from Hong Kong, the import having won three of his six starts in Australia.
During the autumn the seven-year-old son of Notnowcato made history as the first fresh winner of Flemington’s Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m), which he took out by two lengths as a $31 roughie.
Flemington has proved a happy hunting ground for the sprinter who also relished the famous ‘straight six’ first-up this spring taking out the Group 2 Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m) by two and a half-lengths on September 16.
There is challenge on Saturday however as the horse heads to Randwick for the third time looking for his first top three finish at the track.
Back in April during ‘The Championships’ Redkirk Warrior laboured on a Heavy (8) track stepping-up in distance when 11th, beaten around 10 lengths by the winner It’s Somewhat in the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m).
He also rounded-out his autumn prep at the Randwick track a fortnight after the Doncaster Mile, this time crossing two lengths back fifth behind Tivaci in the Group 1 All Aged Stakes (1400m).
Hayes however remains confident the Group 1 winner can break his Randwick duck in The Everest field getting his preferred distance and a dry track on the weekend.
“The only reason he ran in the Bobbie Lewis was to get him the slot because people were a bit put off by his form in Sydney last time,” Hayes told Racing NSW.
“But that was on heavy 10 tracks and over a mile and 1400m.’’
Redkirk Warrior is a very “relaxed” horse according to Hayes, who trains in partnership with his father David and his Uncle Tom Dabernig, which often works in his favour on race day.
“Redkirk is really relaxed, he walks around with his head on the floor everywhere and I think that’s a trait that makes him a good horse,” Hayes added.
Redkirk Warrior fills The Everest slot for The Star and has Regan Bayliss in the saddle on Saturday.
Bayliss has ridden the galloper for his three latest starts, including his two Flemington wins.
To check out the latest The Everest 2017 odds and back one of the Lindsay Park horses head to Ladbrokes.com.au.
