The prospect of watching Gytrash run in The Everest next month is doing strange things to Lachlan Mosley.
“Every day you wake up with butterflies in your stomach, logging onto social media to see what’s been said about the horse,” says Lachlan, a member of the Dream to Win syndicate that owns a share in Gordon Richards’ star sprinter.
“It’s going to be a crazy couple of months.”
Lachlan once worked for the Richards stable and got involved in the Dream to Win syndicate’s first horse, Beau Rivage, also with the Richards stable.
Beau Rivage won four races and $185,000 in prizemoney, but as a live chance in the $15 million The Everest, Gytrash is next level. Lachlan says the journey to securing a slot in the world’s richest turf race was exhilarating.
“It’s been pretty overwhelming to be honest,” he says.
“I actually bumped into Gordon a few weeks ago at the shops, and he said there was interest with Inglis, miEverest, and I can’t remember the other one’s name.
“I was actually at work when I found out we had a slot – I couldn’t believe it and I couldn’t concentrate for the rest of the afternoon.
“My phone starting lighting up in my pocket. Everyone was saying ‘congratulations, congratulations’ and I was like ‘what are you talking about?’.
“I didn’t find out firsthand from Gordon – Jacqui does all her announcements on Facebook and I don’t have Facebook.
“But yeah, it was unreal.”
Throughout most of 2020, COVID-19 has made attending race days problematic at best, and impossible at worst. However, Lachlan has vowed to be trackside at Randwick on October 17, if humanly possible.
“The first priority is for the owners of The Everest runners,” he says.
“Obviously with what’s going on with COVID, you have to take it day by day, week by week, but all things being equal… we’ll be going.
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world. It’s the opportunity of a lifetime.
“Let’s be honest, after Gytrash retires I’m never going to own a horse that’s as good, so I’ve got to make the most of it.”
Gytrash steps out against The Everest favourite Nature Strip at Randwick in the $160,000 Group 3 Concorde Stakes (1000m) this Saturday and Lachlan is adamant Gytrash is a realistic chance of performing well this weekend – and of winning The Everest.
“He definitely can win it,” he says.
“Everyone’s all over Nature Strip, but Gytrash has beaten Nature Strip before.
“Nature Strip will be out in front, doing what he does, but we’ll be coming late, don’t worry about that.
“He’s not just making up the numbers.”