Golden Slipper winner Lady Of Camelot has taken out a star-studded barrier trial at Randwick, leading home a field featuring nine Group One winners and four Everest contenders.
The Tulloch Lodge filly, whose owner Sir Owen Glenn has leased an Everest slot for 2024, shaded Lady Laguna by a neck in Tuesday’s 1000m heat, with fellow Everest contender Private Eye trialling strongly to finish third, another half-length away.
Only three lengths covered the nine runners on the line and Rob Archibald, co-trainer of Lady Laguna, Sunshine In Paris (fourth) and Amelia’s Jewel (sixth), said the hitout was a stretch of the legs for his trio.
1⃣ Lady Of Camelot
2⃣ Lady Laguna
3⃣ Private EyeThe Golden Slipper winner prevails in a star studded trial at Randwick containing four #TABEverest runners. Behind the placings were Sunshine In Paris, Celestial Legend, Amelia’s Jewel, Zougotcha, Joliestar & Fangirl. @tabcomau pic.twitter.com/n2dmAU1NUh
— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) October 7, 2024
“It was just a tick-over trial for all three of them,” Archibald said.
“Sunshine is probably the one that has had the biggest spacing between runs, but she doesn’t do a huge amount in her trials anyway.
“It is really to give them a really nice blow.”
A scintillating first-up winner of the Sheraco Stakes (1200m), Sunshine In Paris will represent the Everest slot held by her owner, John Camilleri, and has been deliberately kept fresh for the October 19 showpiece.
Amelia’s Jewel is heading towards the $5 million King Charles III Stakes (1600m) having finished runner-up in the Tramway Stakes (1400m) and Golden Pendant (1400m), the latter when conceding four kilos to winner Makarena.
Archibald said they were happy with her progress but conceded she probably needed to rise to another level against the likes of Fangirl in the Group 1.
“We’re still looking at the King Charles. She had to lump a fair bit of weight the other day, hopefully back to weight-for-age will help,” he said.
“She is probably going to have to lift her game up to a King Charles, but she is going well.”
Lady Laguna is back on track after a setback interrupted her spring campaign and will be targeted towards the Sydney Stakes (1200m) on the Everest undercard.
Chris Waller stablemates Zougotcha, Joliestar and Fangirl were all given quiet trials and went to the line on the bridle, while Celestial Legend sported blinkers for the first time, finishing a sound fifth under Blake Shinn.