A filly or mare is yet to win The Everest but Bjorn Baker and Annabel Neasham are two trainers who are optimistic that can change this year, with their respective mares primed to give the rich sprint at Randwick a shake on Saturday.
Neasham, who now trains in partnership with Rob Archibald, will saddle up Sunshine In Paris in the $20 million The Everest (1200m) while Baker has Stradbroke Handicap winner Stefi Magnetica in the race.
In Secret’s 4th placing last year is the best finish for a mare, or filly, in the previous seven editions of The Everest.
Stefi Magnetica and Sunshine In Paris are among five quality mares in this year’s field of 12 while Golden Slipper-winning filly Lady Of Camelot is also in the race.
Stefi Magnetica resumed from a spell with an eye-catching second in The Shorts last month and Baker can’t fault the four-year-old, who broke her maiden at Wellington in western NSW in the middle of last year and has continued to rise through the ranks.
“It’s remarkable and she’s just continued to improve,” Baker said.
“She was very good in The Shorts. She’s had four weeks between runs. She’s had a trial in between. Her work on Tuesday, her last piece of fast work was very, very good.
“So I’m confident she can run a big race on Saturday. I wouldn’t swap her for any horse.”
Neasham believes having the luxury of targeting Sunshine In Paris at The Everest, given the mare’s owner John Camilleri had a slot, has allowed her to tailor the mare’s campaign to have her at her absolute best.
Sunshine In Paris was an impressive winner of The Sheraco Stakes first-up and has been kept fresh for The Everest since.
Sunshine In Paris also won the Sheraco last year and was bound for an Everest tilt but a minor injury ruled her out.
“Twelve months ago we were out of the race so this year we’ve been really determined to keep her in one piece,” Neasham said.
“We’ve got a few days to go but we couldn’t have her any better.
“To win these big races you’ve got to have a really smooth preparation because there’s not much between them all, you can nearly make a case for all of the horses in the race. So to have a smooth preparation is pretty key.
“We’ve just been really happy with her, everything has gone to plan.”
Neasham believes Sunshine In Paris is ready to turn in a peak performance on Saturday.
“This is her Grand Final,” Neasham said.
“A few of the other horses have probably had to make their case in their runs, so the trainers have probably had to have them pretty wound up, but we’ve been in that luxury position where we’ve known we’ve got that spot.
“We’ve just been concentrating on the 19th of October.”