Tony McEvoy with Sunlight (Image: Racing Photos)
Tony McEvoy said Sunlight's retreat to Melbourne in the search of better ground than what was on offer in a drenched Sydney will not harm her chances of securing next month's $14 million The Everest.
McEvoy admitted to being frustrated in having to miss a planned run in Saturday's The Shorts at Randwick due to the deluge this week in Sydney, but he said he was content that his new plan - that now consists of a Moir Stakes tilt next Friday night - is easily manageable for the flying mare.
"It's very annoying and frustrating but the weather in Sydney has been horrendous and this track will be an (Heavy) 8 or 7 at best," McEvoy lamented.
"That's not her ground. She's too fast for that ground.
"She'll come back to Melbourne and run in the ($1 million) Moir (Stakes) next Friday night and then she'll go back up to Sydney and then she'll run in the Premiere and that's two weeks until the grand final (The Everest).
"It's frustrating but what we've got planned to replace The Shorts will fit in (with her campaign).
"She gets very stimulated travelling so I am not concerned about that and last time she was at The Valley, she won the William Reid."
Sunlight had been in Sydney for a number of weeks slowly building up for her return in The Shorts but will now be floated to Melbourne and then return to Sydney early next month for the October 19 Everest.
On Friday morning, Sunlight officially joined Santa Ana Lane as scratchings out of The Shorts with others such as Pierata and In Her Time also in doubt of taking on the Heavy conditions.
Santa Ana Lane remains in Melbourne and will either run first-up in the $500,000 Premiere Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on October 5 or at Flemington in the $300,000 Gilgai Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on the same day.