Caulfield Cup fancy Saint George faces an eleventh-hour veterinary confirmation in order to start in the event after not being passed in a preliminary check.
The Ciaron Maher-trained galloper remains under the vet’s eye and will be examined again at Caulfield on race morning after being re-plated.
An $8.50 co-second favourite with stablemate Zahrann, Saint George would be a shock removal and grant The Euphrates ($16) a start in the race.
All other 21 runners, inclusive of the four emergencies, passed the examinations. Maher also trains Royal Supremacy ($12), Middle Earth ($31) and the other three reserve entries for the Group 1 contest.
Cosmic Crusader ($5f) appears certain to start the popular elect. Despite drawing barrier 17, punters have rallied behind the WA-owned gelding and hero hoop William Pike.
Meanwhile, in Sydney, Ka Ying Rising has eased slightly to $1.55 for his $20 million TAB Everest (1200m) defence with the track receiving up to 100mm of rain over the past week.
The track is expected to remain in the Soft range with easing rainfall nearing race time, however, it was upgraded at 2:30pm on Friday afternoon after no rain since 9am.
The forecast for Saturday indicated showers in the morning and afternoon, though it was better than expected in the days prior with a top temperature of 22 degrees.
“If we don’t get any more, I’d say we’ll be kicking off on a (Soft) seven,” said Australian Turf Club’s General Manager of Racecourses Michael Wood.
Rated the world’s best sprinter, Ka Ying Rising has never raced on a surface as heavy as he will meet this weekend.
It opens the door for proven soft-track specialist Tempted ($5), giving her jockey Chad Schofield hope.
“The clock doesn’t lie, he’s (Ka Ying Rising) the most amazing racehorse and probably one of the best we’ve seen,” Schofield said.
“But to head into an Everest on a horse I think is capable of knocking him off is special and I’m in a very fortunate position.
“She’s a horse with the most amazing turn of foot. He (Ka Ying Rising) obviously has a completely different racing style to her and it’s going to create an amazing race and a great spectacle. May the best horse win.”
+ Hot And High remains tight for the Listed R S Crawford Stakes (1200m) at Ascot, firming from $2.90 to $2.15 since markets opened.
Her trainer Dion Luciani has the four-year-old set on a Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m) path.
“If you look at the mapping of the race, (Cessation) is probably going to lead and it possibly leaves a spot for her, leader’s back,” Luciani said.
“The 1400m (of the Asian Beau Stakes) gives you exemption for the Railway, so that would be a great race to win (in two weeks).
“If she wins Saturday and at least place in the next one, it should get you very close to sneaking in.”