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| Staff Writer |
Vin Cox, the boss at Godolphin Australia, is confident that Ingratiating won't disappoint the "Blue Army" in the $15 million race. On Saturday, they will be holding the TAB Everest at Royal Randwick. Despite having high-profile stablemates like Paulele and veteran racehorse Kementari, Ingratiating was the unexpected choice for the Godolphin slot.
Cox, however, claimed that Godolphin was persuaded to send Ingratiating to The Everest after his fast-closing second-place finish in the Schillaci Stakes behind Paulele at Caulfield.
The powerful Godolphin stable has four-year-old Ingratiating to run in their slot for The Everest (1200m), completing the 12-horse field for the A$15 million sprint race at Randwick on Saturday. It was somewhat of a surprise selection from Godolphin, getting the nod over more high-profile stablemates Paulele, Kementari, and rising three-year-old filly In Secret.
Ingratiating impressed at Caulfield last Saturday, finishing strongly for second behind Paulele in the Gr.2 Schillaci Stakes, but he’s an outsider for the world’s richest race on turf.
"Ingratiating was brilliant first-up, he is a horse that has an upwardly mobile profile and his run in the Schillaci Stakes last Saturday was quite outstanding,'' said Godolphin Australia supremo Vin Cox on This Week, Next Week on Sky Thoroughbred Central on Monday night.
"He is a horse that we have always been very excited about from very early days.He was one of the elite two-year-olds of his year placing in the Blue Diamond (second to Artorius) and Golden Slipper (third to Say Inside). He then won the Vain Stakes (last season) like he was Vain.
"We are very excited that the team's view of the horse and the opinion we have had of the horse all the way through is going to transfer into an Everest slot on Saturday.''
Ahead of Tuesday night’s all-important barrier draw, reigning champion Nature Strip remains an odds-on favorite, ahead of Premiere Stakes winner Lost And Running.
“We’d love the ground to probably dry a little, but heading into Everest, we couldn’t be happier,” said Lost and Running’s trainer John O’Shea.
“It will be a dream come true as it’s one of the iconic races in the world now. They’re hard to win and to beat a champion horse doing it, would be extra special,” he said.