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| Staff Writer |
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Yulong has confirmed its high-priced recruit to run in its slot for The Everest. The field for this year's A$20 million race has now been finalized, and Yulong's runner is set to compete in the 1200-meter event this Saturday.
Yulong's slot will be taken by Alcohol Free, a mare trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, and purchased by Yulong for over A$10 million last year. This announcement puts an end to the rumors surrounding the potential recruitment of Imperatriz, a star Kiwi mare, for the final slot. Yulong's operations manager, Sam Fairgray, expressed his delight that the slot would be represented by one of their own.
“We’re thrilled that Alcohol Free is running in the green and white in the upcoming Everest,” Fairgray said.
“She embodies the world-class performance that Mr Zhang has built the Yulong brand to represent.
“We are confident that she will offer an excellent opportunity for us in the race, upholding Yulong’s successful history in The Everest.”
Yulong's representative, Redzel, won the 2018 edition of the world's richest turf race, which brought Yulong success. Craig Williams, who rode Giga Kick to victory in last year's The Everest, will be Alcohol Free's jockey. Alcohol Free is a four-time Group One winner in Europe and is in her second campaign in Australia.
She resumed with a fourth-place finish, 2-3/4 lengths behind the winner, in the Gr.2 Premiere Stakes at Randwick on 30th September. Hawaii Five Oh, the Premiere Stakes runner-up, and the daughter of No Nay Never, are Waterhouse's representatives in the race, which she is thrilled about.
“We are delighted that she has gained at start in the race, ridden by Craig Williams, who of course is already a winner of the race,” Waterhouse said.
“It was a good run in the Premiere Stakes, and she really needed that to take the edge off her freshness. I believe she is absolutely spot on now.
“Yulong have become a major player in the Australian breeding and racing scene, Adrian and myself are very excited that she can represent Yulong in their silks and in their slot.”
In the highly competitive field of The Everest, Alcohol Free stands out as the underdog. The favorite is I Wish I Win, the winner of the T J Smith Stakes, followed closely by Think About It, the victor of the Premiere Stakes.