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Two thirds of the TAB Everest field is yet to be confirmed but if Tuesday’s Rosehill trials were any guide there’ll be plenty of cards laid out on the table come The Shorts next weekend after three heats were won by prospective runners in next month's $20 million sprint.
Hawaii Five Oh, in a 1030m heat, Buenos Noches and Overpass, in 900m heats, were all successful and in the case of the latter pair there wasn't much between them time-wise.
So who trialled the best?
Going to sit on the fence with that one – each did what they needed to and none of them will get a slot based on what they did on a Tuesday morning, they'll be snapped up after taking on what will be a red-hot field in The Shorts at Randwick on September 16.
Not only is that race likely to include Hawaii Five Oh, Buenos Noches, Overpass and Mazu, but the likes of Lost And Running, Private Eye, Remarque, Ruthless Dame and possibly Benedetta to name a few will be there to press their case.
You'd imagine the winner of that Group 2 sprint will earn a slot – unless it's Mazu who is already safely in the field under the Star & Arrowfield banner.
Front-running isn't something we've seen a lot of from Hawaii Five Oh but the brother to 2020 and 2021 Everest runner Libertini was sent along by Adam Hyeronimus in the lead and looked ready to play his hand.
Group 1 winner Ruthless Dame was stoked up to run into second place, she's also a potential Shorts contender, with Mazu cruising along as he moved into third.
Three-year-old King's Gambit was an eye-catcher, he knuckled over at the start but picked himself up to be closing fast on the placegetters late.
Away from the Everest discussion, the likes of Arapaho, Kibou, and Converge all had nice enough hitouts as they ready to hit the track.
The Matt Smith-trained Buenos Noches put his name in the Everest discussion with his first-up win in the Group 3 Show County (1200m) and he just has to adjust to coming back 100m in trip in The Shorts.
In the 900m trial he sat up in second place trailing the leader Zapateo and the pair singled out late with Buenos Noches bobbing at the right time.
The four-year-old clocked 0.02 seconds slower than Overpass in winning his heat, the Bjorn Baker gelding led all the way over the 900m and was throttled down late to hold a 1-1/2 length decision.
June Stakes winner Spacewalk looks to have come back in great order with his cruisy fourth in the Buenos Noches heat. He's threatened to be a solid Group class horse and wouldn't shock if he's Godolphin's elect for the Sydney Stakes.
Unbeaten colt Ozzmosis continued his record of not being defeated in trials or races with a sharp performance, albeit in slow time, to win his 900m heat.
He sat second and swept past the leader nearing the 200m before racing right away. That said runner-up Tannhauser, off his last start Group 1 placing over a mile, held his own over a trip short of his best.
