Cliff Brown has had just 23 starters since resuming his Victorian training career in July, but he has already managed to secure a prized Everest slot after a place for Karaka graduate The Inferno was confirmed on Saturday morning.
The former Singapore sprint star was picked up by slot-holder James Harron Bloodstock on the back of his luckless second placing to Wild Ruler in Friday night’s Gr.1 Moir Stakes (1000m) at The Valley.
Inferno is a $16 chance for the A$15 million feature on October 16, and Brown said he feels the horse is capable of making an impact.
“I suppose he has to be (a chance),” he said. “He has to go to another level, but he keeps stepping up.
“The winner (Wild Ruler) was good but we got out of our ground a long way and got held up a bit. He sustained a long run and I think the rise to 1200m will be good.”
As for going right-handed, Brown believes the five-year-old will be OK, having done all his fast work in Singapore in that direction.
“He’s a lovely horse but it’s a matter of whether he can measure up to the next level.”
Brown said no Everest rider had been confirmed.
The son of Holy Roman Emperor won eight of his nine starts in Singapore and was one of the reasons Brown and his family returned to Australia, with the now Mornington-based trainer believing the horse is the best he has trained.
Bred by Westbury Stud, Brown purchased The Inferno as a yearling out of their 2018 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 draft for $140,000.
