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England’s brilliant sprinter Starman could be a chance to contest The Everest later this year with at least one slot-holder making an approach to his trainer and owner.
England's brilliant sprinter Starman, named after a 1970s hit song, could be aimed at the $15 million The TAB Everest later this year.
An Everest slot-holder has made contact with Starman's connections to determine their level of interest in setting the four-year-old for the world's richest turf race.
Starman, winner of five of his six starts, produced a stunning effort under "Aussie Tom" Marquand to defeat some of Europe's best sprinters in the prestigious Group 1 July Cup at Newmarket over the weekend.
The Daily Telegraph understands at least one of the seven Everest slot-holders still to select their sprinter has approached Starman's trainer Ed Walker and owner-breeder David Ward, who is described as a "big David Bowie fan" and named his horse after one of the late singer-songwriter's most famous songs.
There has already been four sprinters confirmed for The Everest, run at Royal Randwick on October 16: Nature Strip (slot holder Chris Waller Racing), Masked Crusader (Max Whitby, Neil Werrett and Col Madden), Lost And Running (TAB) and Gytrash (Inglis).
Defending champion Classique Legend is back in work at trainer Les Bridge's Randwick stables and is certain to be selected in owner Bon Ho's Everest slot.
This leaves seven vacant starting positions held by Everest slot-holders Godolphin, Coolmore, Aquis, The Star/Arrowfield, Yulong, James Harron and James Kennedy.
Form expert Gary Crispe of Racing And Sports has revealed Starman has returned a preliminary Timeform rating of 127 for his July Cup win and would be a winning chance in The Everest.
"If Starman was to bring his best English form to Sydney and run to the rating he returned in the July Cup then he is capable of winning or running very well in The Everest,'' Crispe said.
"He's obviously lightly-raced but very good, he prefers firm tracks, his racing pattern is to settle midfield and finish hard, and he runs fast times.''
TAB Fixed Odds price assessors promoted Starman into The TAB Everest betting at $15 behind $4.60 early favourite Nature Strip with Classique Legend at $6, then Stay Inside and Masked Crusader at $8.
"Starman is an exciting sprinter and his July Cup win was very impressive,'' TAB's Andrew Georgiou said.
"If he does come for The Everest, it will be interesting to see how he measures up against Australia's best sprinters.''
$15 million TAB Everest (1200m), Royal Randwick, October 16
$4.60 Nature Strip
$6 Classique Legend
$8 Masked Crusader, Stay Inside
$9 Lost And Running
$11 Anamoe
$15 Starman, Eduardo, Gran Alegria, Gytrash
$21 Haut Brion Her, Jonker, Rothfire, Tofane
#Market supplied by TAB Fixed Odds
#Talented duo Bandersnatch and Stockman will be sent to the spelling paddock after continuing their winning form at stakes level over the weekend.
The Team Hawkes-trained Bandersnatch followed his Civic Stakes success with another Listed level win in the Winter Stakes at Royal Randwick last Saturday and will now be set for the $1 million The Gong and $750,000 Villiers Stakes later in the year.
Trainer Joe Pride's tough stayer Stockman, winner of the McKell Cup and Caloundra Cup at his last two starts, is also going for a well-earned break ahead of a light preparation aimed at races like the Festival Stakes, Villiers Stakes and Summer Cup.
Online article taken from The Australian, published on Monday, 12th July 2021, Author, Ray Thomas.