Menari confirmed for $13m race

Brilliant young sprinter Menari has been confirmed as the ninth starter in the $13 million The Everest (1200m) at Royal Randwick this spring.

Slot-holders Max Whitby and Neil Werrett have been in negotiations with Menari’s owner-breeder George Altomonte for some weeks now and reached an agreement late on Thursday afternoon.

Menari, trained by Gerald Ryan, joins stablemate Trapeze Artist in the field for The Everest, run at Royal Randwick on October 13.

“Neil and I really believe in Menari, we have been wanting to get this horse for the Everest for a few weeks now,’’ Whitby told The Daily Telegraph.

“Menari’s a high class colt by Snitzel, he’s about to turn four years of age and we feel the best is yet to come from him.

“We have a lot of faith in his trainer, Gerald Ryan, and George Altomonte is understandably very proud of this horse and we are relieved to have secured him for our Everest slot.’’

Menari hasn’t raced since he was beaten as favourite into third behind Trapeze Artist in the Group 1 Golden Rose last September.

He has since undergone a minor throat operation but Ryan said the colt is back in work at his Rosehill stables and looks in great order.

“Menari has always been a big colt but he is grown heaps during his break,’’ Ryan said. “He would be 17 hands and weight about 610kg.’’

Ryan said Menari will have two barrier trials next month and is likely to resume in the Concorde Stakes on September 1.

“I haven’t given Menari any really serious gallops yet but he is building up nicely in his training,’’ Ryan said.

Other confirmed Everest runners are Redzel, In Her Time, English, Brave Smash, Shoals, Santa Ana Lane and Irish sprinter US Navy Flag.

Trapeze Artist remains favourite for the world’s richest turf race at $4.50 with TAB Fixed Odds while Menari is now into $15.

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