MAHER EYEING NEW SUMMITS IN EVEREST

Top Melbourne trainer launches first assault at world's richest turf race with smart trio

- Michael Lee

"When it rains it pours" would be a fitting saying to the sudden rise in leading Melbourne trainer Ciaron Maher's involvement with The Everest.

While Sydney has always been on his radar, the five-time Melbourne champion trainer has never fielded a runner in the world's richest turf race at A$20 million (S$17.6 million) since the Randwick 1,200m showpiece was first run in 2017.

Until its eighth renewal - which, incidentally, will be the first to be staged as a Group 1 event - on Oct 19, when the Warrnambool horseman will saddle not just one, but three runners - Growing Empire, Bella Nipotina and I Am Me - making up a quarter of the 12-horse field.

In keeping with his ambition of breaking into the highly competitive Sydney circuit, Maher has been regularly sending horses across the border in the last season or so.

Pride Of Jenni's much-talked-about "win of the century" in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2,000m) and Circle Of Fire's win in the Group 1 Sydney Cup (3,200m) during the last Autumn Carnival were two loud statements to that effect.

The three-pronged attack in The Everest also reaffirms his intention to rival leading Sydney conditioners Chris Waller, Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, or Joseph Pride in their own playground, maybe not overnight, but in the long run.