Te Akau have withstood the A$15 million carrot of The Everest (1200m) with exciting Kiwi sprinter Entriviere (NZ) (Tavistock) and will continue towards the inaugural A$2 million The Invitation (1400m) at Randwick on October 23.
The Everest slot holder James Kennedy has been looking for a replacement for his initial selection Rothfire ahead of the world’s richest race on turf, but it won’t be Entrivere.
“We had a phone call during the week and I spoke to Dave (Ellis, Te Akau Principal) and he said to stick to our plan,” trainer Jamie Richards said.
“From our perspective we would start $15, $18, $20 in an Everest, where we are going to start probably close to favourite in an Invitation and against her own sex, and out to 1400m I think certainly suits her.
“We will be sticking to our plan and it is a race we are looking forward to in two weeks time.”
Entriviere is currently a $3.50 favourite for The Invitation.
Entriviere hasn’t finished outside of the money in all her nine starts, winning six and placing in three.
The five-year-old daughter of Tavistock on frist-up in Australia last month in the Gr.2 Sheraco Stakes (1200m) before running third in the Gr.2 Golden Pendant (1400m), and has subsequently finished runner-up to Classique Legend in a 1050m trial at Randwick last week.
