Sepoy’s multiple G1-winning daughter Alizee has been confirmed as a runner in the world’s richest turf race, the A$14 million The Everest at Randwick on Saturday 19 October.
Alizee received the nod this week from Godolphin who owns the “slot” that the mare will occupy in the 1200m race.
The decision to give the position to Alizee followed much consideration by the Godolphin team, who also had the choice of awarding it to Exceed And Excel’s brilliant three-year-old son Bivouac or possibly to Trekking (Street Cry)
Alizee was ultimately judged to be the most suitable, due in part to her impressive record when fresh and because Bivouac has a variety of G1 options ahead of him.
Trekking may yet earn a place in the field for The Everest by winning Saturday’s G2 Schillaci Stakes, the winner of which will be offered the “slot” owned by the Melbourne Racing Club.
The five-year-old Alizee is Sepoy’s best performed runner, having won at G1-level in the Flight Stakes and the Queen Of The Turf Stakes against her own sex, and in open company in the G1 Futurity Stakes.
She also represents one of Godolphin’s best Australian families being out of Essaouira (Exceed And Excel), the dam of the Darley stallion Astern.
Essaouira, a brilliant winner of the first of her only two starts, is a daughter of the Stakes winner Alizes who in turn is out of Triscay, the winner of 15 races, five of them at G1, and the dam of seven winners from nine to race.
Vin Cox, Managing Director of Godolphin in Australia said the decision on The Everest confronted the organisation with a difficult but enviable predicament.
“We are in the fortunate position of having a choice of quality runners for The Everest, each of which would have been a great chance in the race,” Cox said.
“It wasn’t a simple decision, but in the end Alizee is a high-class mare who has shown excellent form when fresh.”
“She has shown us in her training and in a recent barrier trial that she is in great form and it’s our belief that she offers us an outstanding chance in this great race.”
“We feel that a colt like Bivouac has the opportunity to win a variety of G1 races which he will now be aimed at.”
Bivouac produced an outstanding performance against his own age to win the G1 Golden Rose at his most recent appearance and his major spring target will now be the G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington next month.
He also holds a nomination to the G1 Manikato Stakes at Moonee Valley.
Godolphin’s Head Trainer in Australia James Cummings, said the decision on an The Everest runner came after careful consideration of the present and future options available to both Alizee and Bivouac.
“Both horses are G1 winners and there are good reasons to believe both are capable of running very well in The Everest,” Cummings said.
“Alizee has shown she has held onto the good form she showed earlier in her current campaign and will be very worthy contender in a race of the quality of The Everest.
“She has a great record at Randwick winning five races including two at G1 level – she’s right in this race and we expect her to run well."
“There is a range of G1 options open to Bivouac beyond the spring which he will now focus on.”
Alizee showed she has retained the brilliance to be a force in a high-pressure 1200m race in a recent 1050m barrier trial at Randwick in which she beat the subsequent G2 winner Brutal, running the final 600m in a slick 32.92 seconds.
