Top West Australian filly Arcadia Queen has become the sixth horse to earn a spot in the $14 million The Everest after being confirmed as the representative for slot holders The Star.
Her high-profile owner Bob Peters confirmed the news on Wednesday and while he admitted there was a query over how her Perth form would line up in Sydney, he said all signs indicated she would measure up.
Arcadia Queen has won five of her six starts and was the star of Western Australia’s summer racing carnival, brilliantly beating older horses to win the Group One Kingston Town Stakes in December.
“All the experts tell me she’s pretty good, the offers I get to buy her tell me those people think she’s pretty good, the handicappers think so, I hope they are right,” Peters said.
Arcadia Queen and fellow Peters-owned mare Enticing Star have both been transferred to premier Sydney trainer Chris Waller and arrived in the east last week for spring carnival campaigns.
Peters said Arcadia Queen was likely to have a lead-up run into The Everest and could stick around for the inaugural $7.5 million Golden Eagle.
While thrilled to have his first Everest runner, Peters is hoping Enticing Star can also secure one of the remaining slots in the rich Randwick sprint.
The five-year-old boasts a strong record in Perth where she has won eight of her 10 starts and finished runner-up to Voodoo Lad in the Group One Winterbottom Stakes.
Half of the 12 slots in the $14m Everest have now been filled with Arcadia Queen joining Santa Ana Lane, Pierata, Sunlight, Classique Legend and In Her Time in the 1200m-race at Randwick on October 19.
Prior to the announcement Arcadia Queen was the $8 third favourite in Everest odds with Sportsbet.
