Everest Impact

Worth a staggering $10million, The Everest is set to make a big impact this weekend and while its lack of Group I status has meant an absence of three year-old colts in the line-up, it's sheer worth will go a long way to deciding who will be the Champion Australian Sire for 2017/2018.

Only one stallion has accepted in the field of 12 and that's Japanese bred Brave Smash, with the majority of aspiring young stallion prospects looking to Melbourne now for either the MRC Caulfield Guineas (1600m) run on Saturday or the VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) on Derby Day.

So while studs will be looking elsewhere in terms of securing stallions for the future, The Everest remains a focus of real interest in terms of the result and what it may mean for the sire of the winner.

Reigning champion sire Snitzel has a great chance in Redzel and a win for him will mean they might as well give Snitzel his second Champion Australia Sire title right now!

His Arrowfield barn mate Not a Single Doubt has two runners in Clearly Innocent and Fell Swoop, both are very good on their day and in a race where second is worth $1,425,000 and third is $800,000, a good effort from them could set their sire up for a benchmark season.

A champion sire previously, Fastnet Rock is always a contender and a win for his runner Deploy would all but give him a third Champion Australian Sire title.

Now retired, Encosta de Lago is a multiple Champion Australian Sire in the past and has two top runners in Chautauqua and English.

The real horse with the potential to make a game changer out of this race is Houtzen, whose sire is Yarraman Park's I Am Invincible.

He finished fourth on the Australian General Sires List last year and has a bullet next to his name with a cracking crop of juveniles to run for him this season.

A win for Houtzen would give him a very real shot at being Champion Australian Sire for 2017/2018.

She Will Reign's sire Manhattan Rain was banished to Victoria earlier this year and all at Blue Gum Farm will be cheering her home as first prizemoney of $5.8 million would propel him directly to the top of the Australian General Sires List.

He probably won't stay there for long, but this half-brother to champion sire Redoute's Choice will undoubtedly enjoy his moment to shine!

A good effort from Pierro's brilliant daughter Tulip will set the Golden Slipper winner up for Champion Australian Second Season Sire honours to go with his existing Champion First Season Sire title.