Classy sprinter Spieth will be out to earn a slot in the $10m The Everest (1200m) when he resumes in the Group 3 $150,000 Concorde Stakes (1000m) at Randwick on September 2.

Spieth, above, will be trying to fill a slot in The Everest at Randwick. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Spieth, above, will be trying to fill a slot in The Everest at Randwick. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Warwick Farm trained Bryce Heys is keen to get Spieth a slot in $10m sprint over the Randwick 1200m on October 14 but the rising five year old will have to perform well first up if he is to be considered.

“We’d love to be there and he is having a preparation geared towards being cherry ripe in mid-October but I don’t want to put the cart before the horse,” Heys told Racing New South Wales News.

“It’s the hottest ticket in town. From our standpoint, he has the profile whereby he could be competitive in The Everest.”

“That’s the easy bit saying it but I think it’s important that when he goes to the Concorde that he runs very well and then we can make a decision from there.

“It’s important to have him placed to advantage and the Concorde is tailor made for him first-up then the spring will take care of itself.”

“There is a plethora of options that he can run in. He can still run in The Shorts or Premiere or whatever it may be but we’d love to be there (The Everest) under the right circumstances where he warrants his place.”

Other The Everest lead up options for Spieth are the Group 2 $200,000 The Shorts (1100m) at Randwick on September 16 and the Group 2 $500,000 Premiere Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on September 30.

Spieth has shown that he is a genuine Group 1 performer with two photo finish seconds but is yet to win at the elite level.

The Thorn Park stallion was beaten a nose when second to Malaguerra in the Group 1 $1m Darley Classic (1200m) at Flemington on the final day of the 2016 Melbourne Cup Carnival and then resumed in the 2017 Melbourne Autumn Carnival to fail by the same margin when runner up to Terravista in the Group 1 $750,000 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m) at Flemington.

Spieth then missed a place at his next two starts when ninth to Redkirk Warrior in the Group 1 $1.25m Lexus Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on March 11 followed by a tenth to Chautuaqua in the Group 1 $2.5m Darley T J Smith Stakes over the same course and distance as The Everest.

In early betting for The Everest at Ladbrokes.com.au Spieth is marked at $15 while the Team Hawkes trained Chautauqua sits at the top of the market order at $4.80 just ahead of the undefeated Irish three year old Caravaggio at $5.50.

Early market order for the 2017 The Everest at Ladbrokes.com.au: $4.80 Chautauqua, $5.50 Caravaggio, $8 She Will Reign, $10 Winx, $13 English, $15 Russian Revolution,  Houtzen, Spieth, $17 Lady Aurelia $21 Fell Swoop, Limato, Vega Magic, $26 Acapulco, Black Heart Bart, Lankan Rupee, Bound For Nowhere, Mecca’s Angel, Redzel, Terravista, $34, Global Glamour, Malaguerra, Music Magnate, Takedown, $41 or better the rest.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.