Several runners from Australia’s richest race ,The Everest, remain in contention for the feature sprint race of the Melbourne Cup carnival at Flemington.
The first round of acceptances was taken on Tuesday for the $2 million Darley Sprint Classic, run over the straight 1200m course on November 9.
Only three of the 12 runners from Saturday’s Everest at Randwick – Redzel, Arcadia Queen and Classique Legend – were not among the 25 horses paid up for on Tuesday.
Santa Ana Lane and In Her Time, who ran one-two last year in the Sprint Classic and both ran in The Everest, remain from the original list of 34 nominations.
Everest winner Yes Yes Yes is one of seven three-year-olds in contention for the Darley Sprint Classic along with Godolphin’s star colts Bivouac, the favourite for Friday night’s Manikato Stakes, and Microphone.
The Anthony Cummings-trained filly Libertini is also in the mix.
Among the 12 Group One winners in the first acceptances are Everest runners Sunlight, Nature Strip, Alizee and Trekking, while the Aidan O’Brien-trained Ten Sovereigns, who won the July Cup at Newmarket in England this year, is the sole international entrant.
Racing NSW is enticing competitors from The Everest and Sydney Stakes, also run on Saturday, with bonuses should they remain in Sydney for the Redzel Stakes at Rosehill on November 2.
Twent five three-year-olds remain in the hunt for the Victoria Derby (2500m) on November 2, led by the Mark Newnham-trained Shadow Hero and Thought Of That, from the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace yard.
Wednesday’s Geelong Classic (2200m) shapes as a pivotal lead-up with 14 of the 17 acceptors remaining among Derby entries.
The VRC Oaks (2500m) on November 9 has 26 still in contention headed by Thousand Guineas winner Flit, while the first six fillies home in the Ethereal Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday, led home by Gamay, also remain in the field.
