Price pair primed for group 1 tests ahead of ‘Ka Ying Stakes’

Mick Price refers to The Everest (1200m) as the “Ka Ying” Stakes, when the $20 million showpiece is mentioned, but the Victorian trainer is not shying away from the challenge of taking on the Hong Kong superstar with what he hopes will be a group 1 double act this weekend.

Price and co-trainer Michael Kent jnr look set to have $30 million Coolmore buy Guest House in the stud’s Everest slot on October 17, provided the Golden Slipper winner fires again on Saturday in the group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill.

The three-year-old Home Affairs colt was at his brutal best first-up in the San Domenico Stakes four weeks ago, breaking the 1100m track record with a bold rails run under Zac Lloyd. He was $2.50 (TAB) favourite for the Golden Rose and on the third line of betting for the Everest at $11, behind defending champion Ka Ying Rising ($1.35) and likely Godolphin pick Tempted ($8).

“It’s three weeks between the race on Saturday and the Everest, and that’s beautiful,” Price said.

Yes Yes Yes was second to Bivouac in the Golden Rose before becoming the first three-year-old Everest winner in 2019.

While Guest House is close to a certainty for the October 17 race at Randwick, Price and Kent could have another contender for a slot, if Charm Stone goes back to back in the group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Sunday.

The mare, now six, claimed the race at Moonee Valley last year from a nice draw to attract Everest interest, only for connections to go down a different path.

She will race first-up on Saturday after time out following throat surgery and Price said she “was going super”. His only concern on Sunday for the $19 chance was a draw in 11 of 13.

“What happens if she does win, is there a slot there?” he said of the Everest, which has only Ninja and Headwall so far confirmed to take on Ka Ying Rising in the 12-horse sprint at Randwick.

“I ran her in the Sangster [Stakes], and on the Tuesday before we ran her, she had an entrapped epiglottis in her throat.

“She’s got beat a head, and since then I’ve had that fixed and she’s brilliant.”

Price was confident, too, about the condition of Guest House, after he skipped the Run To The Rose (1200m).

“I’m happy with the four weeks between runs because he got to be jarry after the San Domenico,” he said.

“His 1000-metre gallop on Tuesday was good, Saturday was good, so very happy.