Injury doubts still on Tulloch Lodge pair

Having already been ruled out of the $13 million Everest, Invincible Star and English are battling to make the consolation, the Sydney Stakes.

The two Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained mares are both still showing signs of lameness after their slot holders and owners agreed they were not up to competing with the top sprinters in The Everest on Saturday.

Racing NSW chief veterinary officer Dr Toby Koenig and official veterinarian Dr James Mizzi inspected the two at Randwick on Saturday after the mares worked in the morning.

Invincible Star was found to be grade 2/5 lame in the off fore leg and English was assessed as grade 2/5 lame in the near fore leg.

They will need a clearance from the stable vet and will be examined again on Thursday by Racing NSW officials before being allowed to start.

Pierata, Osborne Bulls, Music Magnate, Kaepernick, Spright, Burning Passion, Tactical Advantage, Clearly Innocent, Dal Cielo and Victorian wet-track specialist Jungle Edge are among those expected to be entered for the Sydney Stakes.

The Group Three sprint has added importance with Everest emergencies to come from the acceptances.

If any runner is scratched from The Everest, there is the opportunity for the slot holder to negotiate with connections of an emergency.

Pierata will be coming back from the 1600 metres of the Epsom Handicap in which he finished ninth of 20, 3-1/4 lengths from the winner Hartnell.

Trainer Greg Hickman said he had no concerns about the distance with Pierata who has won three races at 1200m.

In the other big sprint on Saturday, the Kosciuszko, the Wayne Wilkes-trained Fuel has gained a start after Kopi Luwak injured a tendon last week.

A last-start Rosehill winner, Fuel is owned by Joanne Baker who also races the Danny Williams-trained Kopi Luwak.

The $1.3 million Kosziuszko is for country-trained horses which also compete for slot holders who bought tickets for the right to have a runner.