The Everest meeting will be held at Royal Randwick this Saturday (19th Oct). The course proper was rated a Soft 5 on Thursday and with showers in Sydney leading up to the weekend, Randwick will stay in the Soft range on raceday.
The Melburnian visitor Southport Tycoon looks primed to take out the Sydney Stakes (Sydney Race 6, 1200m). The 4YO had beaten two very good horses, Veight and Riff Rocket, in the Australian Guineas in the autumn. He has returned with a good 5th first-up over this track and trip behind star mare Joliestar in the Show County Quality before coming from a long way back to take out the Group 1 Manikato Stakes. Mark Zahra retains the ride and with good pace in the race, Zahra will drop back in the field and bide his time. Watch Southport Tycoon flies down the long Randwick straight.
Joliestar is a horse with an X factor and she could well be the one to beat in The Everest (Sydney Race 7, 1200m). The Waller-trained Zoustar mare has returned as a four-year-old with a dominant victory in the Group 3 Show County Quality followed by a gutsy second-up effort when 3rd in the Sheraco Stakes. Joliestar will head into The Everest in a fresh state as she has great fresh records. The 4YO likes Randwick and she has a terrific record over 1200m with three wins and a 3rd from four starts at the trip. Champion hoop James McDonald will once again be on board and he will settle mid-field from the good gate (4) and Joliestar is going to run over the top of this field.
Defending champion Fangirl will chase second straight King Charles III Stakes win this Saturday (Sydney Race 9, 1600m). The class mare only had a light autumn campaign and she did well first-up in the Winx Stakes finishing a close 3rd behind Via Sistina followed by a brilliant victory over this track and trip in the 7 Stakes. The 6YO loves Randwick having won six times with six placings at the venue and she’s terrific at 1600m with three victories and three placings at the trip. She has good Soft track record and James McDonald retains the ride. McDonald will drop back in the field and with her great turn-of-foot, Fangirl will finish the race off strongly.
By Owens Wong
