THE FIELD: As I understand it, after various discussions yesterday with Racing New South Wales and the Australian Turf Club, there is no onus on any slot holder to declare their runner until acceptance time which is 10am on 10 October – five days before the race.

“This is the beauty of the concept. It will continue to generate publicity all the way through to the race,” says Racing NSW chief executive Peter V’Landys.

THE SLOTS: No further trading of the ownership of the slots is permitted after 3 October.

EMERGENCIES: It will be a condition of entry for the $500,000 City Tattersalls Lightning (Listed, 1200m), the ‘consolation’ on the same day, that if a place becomes available in The Everest then you must run in The Everest. Racing NSW will determine which four acceptors for the Lightning will become the four emergencies and the slot holder may then choose one of the four to represent them in the event of their original horse being unfit to run. Thus, accept for the Lightning and you might fluke a run in The Everest.

THE PRIZEMONEY: The first prize is, in fact, $4,793,700 which is the advertised $5,800,000 less the trainer ($574,200) and jockey ($287,100) percentages plus $58,000 deducted for the NSW Jockey’s Fund and $78,000 for the Stablehand’s Prizemoney scheme.

In the event of an emergency horse replacing an original nominee then the first prize will be split as follows: $2,469,169 to the slot licensee and $2,324,531 to the owner/s of the emergency runner (should it win of course).

KNOWN STATE OF PLAY:

Barring misadventure – five confirmed runners. CHAUTAUQUA (Encosta De Lago) will take the Greg Ingham-Andrew Williams Bloodstock secured slot; SHE WILL REIGN (Manhattan Rain – Yulong Investments); HOUTZEN (I Am Invincible – Aquis Farm); FELL SWOOP (Not A Single Doubt – Inglis) and ENGLISH (Encosta De Lago – TABcorp). Of that group, only Houtzen is expected to run this weekend.

The host club, the Australian Turf Club, yesterday announced that they have short-listed five horses. They are BRAVE SMASH (Tosen Phantom) who is expected to run at Moonee Valley on Saturday; CLEARLY INNOCENT (Not A Single Doubt); GLOBAL GLAMOUR (Star Witness); LE ROMAIN (Hard Spun) and REDZEL (Snitzel).

Star Entertainment is aligned with David Hayes and VEGA MAGIC (Lope De Vega) looks the logical choice but the in-form Hayes camp still has REDKIRK WARRIOR (Notnowcato) waiting to reappear.

UNKNOWNS:

Slot holder Max Whitby says he’s keeping his powder dry: “No decision yet. In fact, I think the later we leave it the better. It’s a $1,800,000 investment over the three years so we are treating it very seriously and I’m having discussions every day about it. I’ve short-listed five or six but there’s no pressing deadline.”

James Harron says that PARIAH (Redoute’s Choice) remains the primary choice but no decision has been finalised. Pariah will run in Saturday’s Run To The Rose (Gr 2, 1200m) and then, all being well, proceed to the Golden Rose (Gr 1, 1400m) on 23 September. “The Golden Rose is absolutely his number one target. We can consider the Everest after that. The next few weeks will be very important in confirming the sprint pecking order and I believe there’s still several horses out there who could emerge with genuine claims. The Moir Stakes (Gr 1, 1000m) may well be a key race and that’s not until 29 September.”

Damion Flower said, last night, on Sky Channel: “My list is probably around ten. Chauffeur is on the list but he might be a miler. I’ve got one from left field in the group too. I’m backing my judgement that I can find the winner and I can wait.”

Flower part-owns Chauffeur (Snitzel) who will also run in Saturday’s Run To The Rose. “I didn’t buy the slot just for him.”

Trainer Chris Waller. His position remains unclear but he does not, right now, appear to have an obvious candidate from within his stable.

Coolmore: The possibility of Caravaggio (Scat Daddy) travelling from Ireland is not necessarily expunged. I understand four horses at Ballydoyle have been vaccinated for possible southern hemisphere travel. He’s expected to run at the Curragh on Sunday. He could commence two weeks quarantine on the 11th or 12th and then be shipped to Australia on the 26th.

The case for is that he’s unbeaten on soft or softish ground and there’s every chance it will be wet in Sydney; that his past two defeats have been excusable and that Coolmore is standing – in Australia –  another son of Scat Daddy (Johannesburg) in No Nay Never. The case against is that he’d have to carry 58 kilos as a northern hemisphere three-year-old as he is six months (or so) older than than the southern hemisphere three-year-olds.

Might Coolmore consider Tulip, the daughter of one of their younger stallions Pierro (Lonhro), if she were to win the Run To The Rose on Saturday? Three-year-old fillies carry 51 kilos in The Everest. Catchy and Missrock, daughters of Fastnet Rock (Danehill), could be possibles.

Menari (Snitzel), Hellbent (I Am Invincible), Russian Revolution (Snitzel) and Supido (Sebring) are others, expected to run this coming weekend, who might come into consideration for all slot holders.