Mission Central has completed a remarkable set of Royal Ascot Group 1 victories for trainer Aidan O’Brien and jockey Ryan Moore, leading Coolmore to consider the highly-rated sprinter for a start in The Everest following a stunning display in the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes on Tuesday.
The Irish sprinter, a 14/1 outsider, delivered an outstanding performance to claim the Group 1 prize, outpacing the brave efforts of Australian sprinters Overpass, who finished a credible third, and Asfoora, who came home in seventh.
Mission Central’s exceptional closing speed saw him reel in Rayevka (7/1) and the 10/3 favourite Overpass for a thrilling, narrow victory.
The King Charles III Stakes, formerly known as the King’s Stand Stakes, represented the final Royal Ascot Group 1 race that had eluded O’Brien and Moore.
This win was O’Brien’s second of the day, following Great Barrier Reef’s triumph in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes, and brings his total Royal Ascot wins to 98.
Coolmore Australia’s Tom Magnier, who attended Royal Ascot, informed Racing And Sports that the possibility of using their slot for Mission Central in the Group 1 $20 million The Everest (1200m) at Royal Randwick on October 17 would be seriously considered.
“I was watching Overpass and I would have been delighted for Australia if Overpass was to win for Bjorn (Baker) and the team,” Magnier said.
“But the lads were pretty happy with Mission Central and it was an unbelievable ride by Ryan.
“He’s a very good horse and when Ryan was walking him in and I winked at him and said ‘what about The Everest?’ Ryan gave me the thumbs up.”
There remain 12 unoccupied slots for The Everest, with Hong Kong’s reigning champion Ka Ying Rising sitting as the commanding $1.50 favourite with TAB Fixed Odds.
Coolmore boasts several high-class sprinters in training, including Golden Slipper winner Guest House, who could also be a contender for The Everest. However, Magnier is keen to engage with O’Brien about the prospect of bringing Mission Central to Sydney later this year.
“There is a lot of water to flow under the bridge and we have a lot of horses in Australia,” Maganier commented.
“But I guess a horse like this (Mission Central) gets put into the mix and he could come down and run in The Everest.
“There is a long way to go between now and then but it (The Everest) is definitely on the radar for this horse.”
Magnier stated that he would need to re-watch Mission Central’s victory in more detail.
“I was watching Overpass through the race because if we didn’t win I would have been happy for Bjorn and Overpass,” Magnier revealed.
“But Ryan said Mission Central has a very good turn of foot so we will see how we go with him.”
Explore the latest racing odds on top online bookmakers for The Everest.
