Savvy Hallie’s Everest slot sealed by Mulberry

Mike Gregg’s Mulberry Racing has turned to his trainer Brad Widdup for a horse to fill the owner’s slot in this year’s Everest.

Savvy Hallie did enough when second to dominant mare Tempted in Saturday’s Premiere Stakes to convince Gregg and Mulberry Racing manager Lachlan Sheridan that the four-year-old by Hellbent was their best option for this year’s The Everest.

Mulberry Racing’s Jedibeel, a stablemate of Savvy Hallie who will step up his comeback with a barrier trial at Randwick on Tuesday, ran in Gregg’s slot last year when unplaced.

Savvy Hallie, who is owned by B K Racing and Breeding and Ben Vassallo, has twice finished second to Godolphin’s probable Everest runner Tempted at stakes level, having also finished runner-up in the Group 1 Surround Stakes in February.

“She’s earned her spot, and there’s still improvement in her. My job now is to have her at her very best on Everest day,” Widdup said.

With Tempted set to run in The Everest for Godolphin, the decision by Mulberry Racing leaves just the James Harron Bloodstock partnership, Yulong, Chris Waller Racing and Coolmore to make a call on who will represent their respective slots.

Long odds-on favourite Ka Ying Rising will barrier trial on the Randwick course proper on Tuesday over 1000m up against Everest rivals Ninja and Headwall and possible runners Joliestar and Angel Capital, the latter owned by Yulong.