LOBBYING STARTS IN EARNEST AS TRAINERS TRY TO SECURE A RUN IN THE EVEREST FOR THEIR CONTENDERS

By Graham Potter | Monday, August 9, 2021

Get ready for trainers and connections with contenders but no confirmed place yet in the 2021 The Everest to start lobbying hard and fast on behalf of their runners as they attempt to secure a place in the rich race line-up.

Troy Corstens is one of those already beating The Everest drum for Swats That’s inclusion.

A three-time winner from nine starts, the Leon and troy Corstens trained Swats That has already won twice in Group 3 company and, although he hasn’t saluted in his last four starts, they have all come in Group 1 company in which he has acquitted himself well.

Three of those four Group 1 starts were at Flemington in which he finished second to September Run in the Coolmore Stud Stakes, third in the Black Caviar Lightning, behind Nature Strip and September Run, and then fifth in the Newmarket Handicap … never finishing further back than 2.20 lengths behind the winner in any of those runs.

Last time out Swats That finished unplaced in the William Reid Stakes when finishing 4.00 lengths behind Masked Crusader. That run was on March 19, so Swats That has now enjoyed a well-deserved time-off from racing duties for close to five months.

Connections turned down slot offers for Swats That for last year’s The Everest, feeling that the daughter of Shamus award wasn’t ready for that challenge at that time but, with the benefits of a good spell and greater maturity now, Troy Corstens has made it quite clear what he wants and when he wants it!

“Last year we got offered three slots in The Everest and she just wasn’t ready for it. This year we are making our intentions clear that we do want a slot in the Everest if we can get it,” Corstens told Racing.com.

“She has really grown up, grown a little bit, strengthened and really developed.

“The earlier we can get that (slot) the better.”

Swats That is expected to trial later this month with the Group 1 Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley being pencilled in for her first run back on September 24.