 |
|
| Staff Writer |
 |
Alcohol Free, the former UK sprinter, is proving her trainers that she has what it takes to make a strong showing in The Everest. Despite being one of the outsiders in the field, she holds the impressive title of being the most prolific Group One winner in The Everest. Adrian Bott, her trainer, cautions punters not to underestimate this high-class mare.
Last autumn, Bott and co-trainer Gai Waterhouse were disappointed when the $10 million buy failed to fire at her debut in the Queen Of The Turf Stakes in Sydney. In preparation for the spring, they decided to switch things up and train her as a sprinter.
Despite being given A$41 odds by bookmakers, Bott remains optimistic about the horse's chances in the upcoming race. Yulong, the owners, were convinced that she was the right choice for their slot after she placed fourth to The Everest favourite Think About It in the Premiere Stakes.
“Put a line through what you saw from her in the autumn, that first-up run here was very encouraging,” Bott said.
“She’s got a lot of improvement there and I’m excited by what she can potentially produce for us.
“She is a quality horse, she is showing us that at home, and no doubt you will see a better horse on Saturday.
“Physically she is looking a much more furnished and stronger mare than we saw last campaign and mentally, she seems very happy and in a good space.
“All those things are pointing to a good performance for us.”
Alcohol Free, a 6YO mare, is a four-time Group One winner in the UK and has won races ranging from 1200m to a mile. She has twice as many major wins as any other horse in Saturday's race, with Think About It and In Secret following closely with two each.
According to trainer Gai Waterhouse's assistant Adrian Bott, Alcohol Free has taken time to adjust to Australia's racing style, but has turned the corner and is expected to position herself "handy to midfield" on race day. Hawaii Five Oh, Alcohol Free's stablemate, is a 4YO with plenty of potential and is currently priced at A$14. Bott believes that Hawaii Five Oh could take up a more forward position from barrier 10, as he did when winning the Fred Best Classic and finishing third in the Stradbroke Handicap, making him a strong contender for the race.
“He’s a horse who is still lightly raced, he’s progressive and there’s more upside. That seems to be a profile of a horse who does very well in an Everest,” Bott said.
“He’s got that potential there and there is a good sense of timing about his campaign.
“He’s got tactical speed, we’ve seen him quite prominent in races before, so he’s got options from there and he may well be able to put himself in the race.”
Waterhouse and Bott are hoping to achieve their first victory at Everest, and they have enlisted the help of two jockeys who have already tasted success in what is now considered Sydney's premier race. James McDonald, who won the 2021 race on Nature Strip, will ride Hawaii Five Oh, while Craig Williams will try to defend his title by winning back-to-back races on Alcohol Free, following his victory on Giga Kick last year.