All Aged Stakes winner Pierata scored a sizzling win in a Warwick Farm barrier trial today in preparation for the $14m The Everest (1200m) at Randwick on October 19.
Pierata, above, won a Warwick Farm barrier trial in preparation for The Everest 2019 at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.
Top Sydney jockey Tommy Berry rode Pierata to victory in the Group 1 $600,000 Schweppes All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on April 20 and was aboard the Greg Hickman trained stallion again today as he cruised to a one and a quarter lengths win in the 1000m trial on the course proper.
Hickman said that Pierata did as much as he wanted him to do and is now ready to kick off his Everest campaign in the Group 3 $160,000 Concorde Stakes (1000m) at Randwick on September 7.
“You couldn’t ask for any more. Very happy,” Hickman told Sky Racing Sports Radio.
“The instructions were to jump and travel and work to the line a little bit stronger. Happy with him. He did a little bit of work and had a little bit of a blow, exactly what I asked for.”
“We will step his work up during the week after this and hopeful we have him right on the right days.”
“He will go to the Concorde and then he will go to the Shorts and then we will work out if we go to the Premiere or has a barrier trial and then into The Everest.”
The Group 2 $500,000 The Shorts (1100m) at Randwick on September 21 is also on Pierata’s program and there is also a possibility that he will run in the Group 2 $500,000 Premiere Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on October 5.
Berry had Pierata in the box seat from the outset and never released the brakes as the slick sprinter stretched out in great style in the straight and the report to Hickman was short and sweet, only giving the trainer the look of approval.
“He just gave me the look. I understand the look and we were both very very happy with the trial,” Hickman said.
Pierata will race in The Everest slot owned by Aquis and is on the third line of betting at $8 with Ladbrokes.com.au behind Santa Ana Lane at $5 and Osborne Bulls at $7.
Slots for the 2019 The Everest that have been allocated are Chris Waller Racing – Enticing Star, The Star – Arcadia Queen, Yulong Investments – Redzel, Max Whitby – Sunlight, TAB – Santa Ana Lane, Aquis – Pierata, Bon Ho & Carmel Size Racing – Classique Legend and Inglis – In Her Time.
Pre-post betting for the 2019 The Everest at Ladbrokes.com.au: $5 Santa Ana Lane, $7 Osborne Bulls, $8 Pierata, $9 Sunlight, $10 Classique Legend, $12 Arcadia Queen, Alizee, $13 In Her Time, Nature Strip, $14 Enticing Star, Redzel, $17 Graff, $21 Yes Yes Yes, $26 Libertini, Zoustyle, $31 Cascadian, Hot King Prawn, Home Of The Brave, Mr Stunning, $41 or better the rest.
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