Races

The Everest Power Rankings: Week 7

Posted on | Posted by Chris Nelson

1. BELLA NIPOTINA
Last Week: 2

Although beaten on Saturday in the Premiere she was unlucky & hers was without doubt the best run in the race. She found herself in an awkward spot buried away worse than midfield on the fence & then had trouble gaining a run in the straight, once to the outside & wound up over the final 150m she hit the line hard to just miss. First up at Randwick she produced a similar outstanding finish to go down narrowly behind her stablemate I Am Me. On a day of slick times her closing split was the second fastest of the entire day, amazingly she broke 32 seconds for her final 600m over a trip which is short of her best. That’s two outstanding lead up runs, she’s in a stable who win Group 1’s for fun & will handle any track condition. Deserves her top ranking.

2. I WISH I WIN
Last Week: 3

Although he did nothing wrong in the Manikato when closing from the back of the field I still have some concern re his & the winner Southport Tycoon’s final 200m splits from the top of the Moonee Valley straight. I Wish I Win was clear & winding up; Southport Tycoon wasn’t fully clear at that same stage yet ran a quicker final split & had the race been further I couldn’t see I Wish I Win running over the top of him. Having said all that the Moody/Coleman camp will have timed his prep to perfection & he will no doubt take a ton of improvement out of the race. With Growing Empire, Storm Boy & Lady Of Camelot plus I Am Me now all confirmed runners he’ll have the tempo up front to give him every chance.

3. SUNSHINE IN PARIS
Last Week: 4

Lightly raced mare who was well in contention for last year’s race before suffering a minor foreleg injury which put an end to her entire spring campaign. She’d beaten Espiona first up, had been assured of a slot & looked a great chance before bad luck struck. Back on track in the autumn she was narrowly beaten first up in the Galaxy before striking consecutive heavy tracks which are not her go. She resumed in the Sheraco at Rosehill & couldn’t have been any more impressive charging to victory on dry ground lowering Joliestar’s colours which was no mean feat considering what that mare had done 3 weeks prior. Kept fresh into the Everest she trialled nicely this morning at Randwick clocking in a cruisy 4th. She’s a huge chance however does need a dry track to show her best.

4. PRIVATE EYE
Last Week: 5

Placed at both Everest attempts to date he looks right on track for another strong performance in the race. His return in the Concorde at Randwick closing wide from the back was similar to his second up run in the Shorts when drawn poorly with Jay Ford having no option than to go back, taken wide cornering he clocked the quickest final split of the race which was a remarkable effort. He trialled this morning at Randwick parking nice & close from the outset courtesy of his good draw finishing 3rd with plenty in the tank. Strongly suggest he’s overs in the current market.

5. TRAFFIC WARDEN
Last Week: 6

Accounted for Storm Boy in The Run To The Rose first up in impressive fashion which thrusted him into Everest discussions. Is he the best of the quartet of 3yo’s going around in the race? Maybe, however he’s certainly very versatile having led all the way in the Sires at Flemington during the autumn, he then parked on speed almost winning the Sydney version before being runover by Manaal late. That fast-finishing fresh run & similar efforts in the Golden Slipper & Blue Diamond suggest he’s no one trick pony. He beat all bar the potential superstar Broadsiding in the Golden Rose & with his light weight will prove very hard to hold out.

6. GROWING EMPIRE
Last Week: 9

In the field as of this morning which is no real surprise. How good is he? Well, there’s plenty of good judges around who rate him extremely highly & a real chance of taking home The Everest as a 3yo. Shooting for 5 straight wins when tackling the older horses in the Group 1 Manikato you’d have put plenty on him halfway down the straight before Southport Tycoon emerged & ran over the top of him late. His two prior wins this prep against his own age had been most impressive & the horse he beat second-up (First Settler) won at Flemington on Saturday (albeit narrowly). The Coolmore has now been ruled out, it’s all systems go into The Everest.

7. GIGA KICK
Last Week: 1

Tumbling down the rankings goes the Victorian after his defeat in the Premiere on Saturday. Yes, the race was run at a farcical tempo however he slotted in one x one & was certainly within striking distance at the top of the straight. He simply couldn’t sprint when needing to & similar to his first up run he was doing his best work late & through the line. That race on Saturday was going to be our best guide to how he’s come back from injury, on face value he was disappointing.

8. JOLIESTAR
Last Week: 7

Very interesting runner who is now a slot holder being snapped up by her trainer to run under the Chris Waller Racing banner. I had her on top of the rankings originally however she fell sharply down the order when no match at all for Sunshine in Paris in the Sheraco which followed a dominant first up victory. She just didn’t have that same turn of foot giving the impression she’s looking for further which is no surprise as she is a Group 1 winner over a mile. Did I jump ship too soon? Can Chris Waller freshen her up to tackle the 1200m again, this time in an Everest? Clearly it would be a task however I’d put nothing past the champion trainer. She settled out the back in her trial at Randwick this morning not being asked to do anything at any stage of the heat.

9. STEFI MAGNETICA
Last Week: 8

Group 1 Stradbroke winner in the winter at Eagle Farm accounting for Bella Nipotina in a stirring finish & keep in mind last year’s Everest winner Think About It also came through a win in Queensland’s premier race. Nobody missed her return effort at Randwick flying home along the fence to just miss catching I Am Me in the 1100m Shorts, with a clearer run earlier in the straight the race would have been hers. She won’t have a start between that unlucky effort & The Everest however did trial at Rosehill last Friday when urged along running into 2nd spot, she was held by the winner who led throughout.

10. STORM BOY
Last Week: 12

Back in winning form at Rosehill first up making a big statement, he’s grown into a beast of an animal & he simply monstered the opposition. Second-up although beaten in the Run To The Rose there were valid excuses as he did miss the start & was then sent forward. By the same token once he got there the race wasn’t run at any great speed & the winner Traffic Warden ran home right over the top of him. Solid effort in the Golden Rose third-up over 1400m & given a freshen up dropping back to 1200m he may take running down, particularly with the intestinal fortitude runners from this stable are capable of producing.

11. I AM ME
Last Week: Unranked

Cannot knock what she’s been doing this prep winning at Group 2 & 3 level. On each occasion though the second placed runner only needed a little more ground to run her down & had the races been 1200m she’d definitely have been defeated. Nevertheless, winning form is good form & she’s in one of the country’s premier stables, she parks on speed & if able to draw a good barrier will land another soft run. Even so I’d suggest she will still be vulnerable late.

12. LADY OF CAMELOT
Last Week: Unranked

I’d dropped her out of the rankings a few weeks ago however now as an official slot holder back she comes. She’s the reigning Golden Slipper champion who in all fairness should have landed the big double as she was very unlucky not to win the Blue Diamond as well. She resumed in the Moir at The Valley & although engaged in a pressure duel up front they didn’t go all that hard, thought that run was disappointing. Second-up she didn’t have the best of runs caught deep without cover in Shorts suggesting we forgive that & to her credit she wasn’t that far away on the line. Stepping out in a star-studded trial at Randwick this morning she raced wide on the speed scoring a narrow win. She wasn’t pushed out however that was the case with the entire field.

Dropping out – Think About It, Southport Tycoon

Coming in – I Am Me, Lady Of Camelot

Odds correct at the time of publication.

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