A changing of the guard in Australia’s sprinting ranks has trainer Joe Pride dreaming of an Everest berth for Group One-placed mare Fasika.
Several of the horses who have dominated the major short-course races in recent seasons have either been retired or sent to stud.
Last year’s Everest winner Yes Yes Yes and All Aged Stakes runner-up Pierata will both begin stallion duties this spring.
Grand campaigner Redzel, winner of the first two runnings of The Everest, has also run his last race.
Fasika is one of the new kids on the block and underlined her class with a third behind Tofane and Pierata in the Group One All Aged Stakes during the Sydney autumn carnival.
Pride has a big opinion of the mare and has no doubt she can be competitive in an Everest.
“It is certainly something I would consider with her,” Pride said.
“There is a changing of the guard with the sprinters. The ones that were good a few years ago are moving off to different areas, to stud or retirement.
“I’ve got time to give her a nice six-week break and we will come back and think about it then. But I wouldn’t rule out an Everest slot.”
While Fasika is in the paddock, Pride has welcomed back stakes-placed three-year-old Superium.
A controversial late scratching from the Magic Millions Guineas in January, Superium ran in a 794m-barrier trial at Warwick Farm on Monday in preparation for a winter campaign in Sydney.
“He is benchmarked somewhere in the 70s so hopefully he can milk off a couple of BOBS wins late in the season,” Pride said.
Superium was among a number of Pride-trained horses at the trials along with stayer Tamarack and two-year-old filly Ballistic Lover who was runner-up to Black Opal Stakes placegetter Bartley at her only start in December.
Ballistic Lover trialled best of the team, running a close second to the Bjorn Baker-trained Last Shout Budgie.