GODOLPHIN’S star four-year-old Kementari won’t contest The Everest (1200m) next month despite being an equal third favourite for the race.

Kementari was a $8 chance for Australia’s richest race, but trainer James Cummings has elected to send the Randwick Guineas winner to the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on September 15, where a return clash with his Memsie Stakes conqueror Humidor awaits.

“We’ve decided to take The Everest off the table,’’ Cummings said on Sky Sports Radio.

“We think the horse would run a big race in The Everest but we feel he will be more effective at a mile. By going to the mile we’ll give him a two or three times better chance of winning a Group 1 at his next start.’’

The decision gives boom Melbourne sprinter Nature Strip an even better chance of gaining a run in the race.

Nature Strip contests the Group 2 McEwen Stakes (1000m) at Mooney Valley on Saturday.

There was talk of Chris Waller’s colt Zousain being a surprise contender for an Everest slot and he runs in the Group 2 Run to the Rose (1200m) on Saturday at Rosehill Gardens.

Waller said he hasn’t been contacted yet by either Max Whitby or other remaining slot holder the ATC. But if he comes out and wins on Saturday and does it again in the Golden Rose a fortnight later he’ll be hard not to consider.

“I’d need a fair bit of convincing to run a three-year-old in The Everest before it won a Group 1 race,” Waller said. “With a three-year-old colt I think you’ve got to tick that Group 1 box first.”

Zousain is by Zoustar, who was retired after winning the Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) in 2013. And Waller says his son is on his way to being a genuine sprinting star.

“If you ever wondered what Zoustar looked like just look at Zousain because he’s a splitting image and I’m just hoping he can make the same progress as his dad made,” he said.

“This is when Zoustar really came into his own. He was unlucky in this race and he won the Golden Rose at his next start.

“The Everest will be there next year if you look after a horse now.

“It’s a great talking point, The Everest. It’s a great concept and who would have thought it would have taken off this quick.”

Not even the lure of a $6m first prize would sway Waller.

“Even with Winx, I’ve never been worried about prizemoney with horses,” he said. “You’ve just got to get them to where they need to be and the big money races will be there.

“My job is done once a colt has won a Group 1 race.”

Meanwhile, Coolmore’s Everest runner US Navy Flag is expected to arrive at the Canterbury Quarantine Centre on September 22.

THE EVEREST

Royal Randwick, October 13
$4.50 Trapeze Artist

$5 Redzel

$7 Vega Magic

$8 Nature Strip

$11 In Her Time

$13 Santa Ana Lane

$15 Shoals

EVEREST MOVERS SINCE SATURDAY
Redzel (won the Concorde Stakes) $6 - $5

Vega Magic (fourth in the Memsie Stakes) $6 - $8 - $7

Invincible Star (third in the Concorde Stakes) $15 - $26

Happy Clapper (seventh in the Memsie Stakes) $26 - $51

Kemono (seventh in The Heath) $26 - $51

TAB’S BETS OF NOTE LAST WEEK
$5,000 each-way at $6/$2.25 on Redzel

$1,000 at $15 on Santa Ana Lane

$1,000 at $6 on Redzel [two separate bets]

$650 at $15 on Santa Ana Lane

$650 at $8 on Vega Magic

$500 each-way at $15/$4.50 on Invincible Star

$500 each-way at $15/$4.50 on Shoals

$500 at $6 on Redzel [two separate bets]

$400 at $15 on Santa Ana Lane

$300 at $26 on Brave Smash