The Moir Stakes at The Valley could determine the immediate direction for New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sale graduate The Inferno (Holy Roman Emperor).
Former Singapore champ The Inferno could be running for a berth in The Everest when he lines up in the Gr.1 Moir Stakes (1000m) at The Valley on Friday night.
Trainer Cliff Brown has fielded a couple of enquiries, nothing definite, about The Inferno obtaining a potential berth in The Everest (1200m) at Randwick on October 16.
But first, Brown’s attention is on Friday night’s 1000m scamper, the same course and distance The Inferno was successful over when taking out the Gr.2 McEwen Stakes (1000m) on September 4.
“I have had a couple people be in contact, but nothing is booked in,” Brown said.
“At the end of the day, if you run well, you might get an invite and if you run badly, you wouldn’t want to run anyway.”
The Inferno provided Brown with his second winner since returning from Singapore earlier in the year.
After “trainer error” first-up at Caulfield in the Listed Regal Roller Stakes (1200m) on August 14, The Inferno showed his true colours with a brilliant turn of foot in the McEwen Stakes.
But Brown is expecting a much tougher assignment on Friday night.
“He’s tightened up, his coat has come, and he’s come on for both his runs,” Brown said.
“But it’s one of those things. I think it would be beautiful if it was 1200 metres, but there aren’t any that are in the time frame for other races.
“And he probably goes up a level again with what the field is going to be like.
“You would imagine, the one that ran second and third to him, Portland Sky and September Run, with the benefit of a run, they will be improved and then there is the three-year-olds that have a good weight advantage.
“It will be a difficult task.”
Brown said the Gr.1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at The Valley on October 22 would be the next logical assignment for The Inferno if he did not earn a spot in The Everest.
