Missrock finished best of all to win Saturday's Listed Carlyon Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley and trainer Robbie Laing is eyeing a berth in The Everest.
Backed from $8.50 to $7, Missrock settled third as Heatherly set the speed and was clear around the home turn. Ben Melham asked Missrock for her effort and she finished too well for Heatherly ($2.15 fav) to score by a neck with Lady Esprit ($10) a further 1-1/2 lengths away third.
Laing said Missrock would return to Moonee Valley on September 9 for the Group II McEwen Stakes over 1000m but he was interested in trying to obtain a start in the $10 million The Everest at Randwick in October.
"Watching her today, with the edge off her, she might want 1200m now," Laing said.
"She's got Vega Magic form and she beat English home two starts ago and they're talking The Everest.
"If she won a nice Group race in the next few weeks she might get a spot and she does go well at Randwick."
Laing said Missrock returned from the spelling paddock 6-1/2 weeks ago but because of wet tracks in the Cranbourne area the only grass gallop she'd had was at Moonee Valley on Tuesday.
"Going through the field, the barometer was which one of these could run second in a Goodwood and I didn't think there were many of them," Laing said.
"I thought we'd be giving Heatherly a start, but this mare has a bit of guts about her."
Laing said he will keep the daughter of Fastnet Rock would be kept to sprinting after being tried over a staying trip as a spring three-year-old filly.
"Hopefully she can win a Group I," Laing said. "She's a very valuable mare as she is, but if we can build on that it would be terrific."
Runner-up Heatherly was vetted pre-race after becoming fractious in the barriers however, co-trainer Simon Zahra was not looking for an excuse.
"That didn't cost her the race - she just wasn't good enough on the day." Zahra said.
