Randwick’s Everest Day miracle
Has there been a better track produced for a big race day in Australia than Randwick for Everest Day? Probably not.
Nearly 100mm of rain in the week leading into Australia’s richest day of racing, and the track nearly got back to a good rating.
Moreover, the winners came in different spots throughout and if you were good enough you could win.
Ka Ying Rising reportedly didn’t handle the softness in the track but, after sitting four and five wide, nearly lifted the Everest again, which went to Tempted, who used the rails to take the shortest way home.
Michael Wood and Dave Anderson prepared for the weather that was coming by not watering from Epsom Day and a verti-draining procedure last month allowed the track to recover remarkably.
After a week of rain, the weather broke at the right time and there was no top-up rain on raceday, but few predicted the rapid improvement in track rating.
It is the standard expected by punters. But there has been little congratulations for the team at Randwick.
Flemington got plenty of raps for running as a heavy-10 on Turnbull Stakes Day but Randwick was better on Saturday.
Everest appearance fee needed
The 12 Everest slotholders have a guarantee from Racing NSW protecting their position in the race, but they need to start to play a role in getting the best field.
Slotholders are in the most powerful position in the racing.
It is their right to pick whatever horse they like, but slotholders are derisking their $700,000 investment by taking it off the table in any deal, which leaves runners down the track almost running for nothing for their owners.
The Everest has become like the Melbourne Cup, an owners’ dream and many are happy to take any deal to be part of the race.
The deals, however, mean that many sprinters decided not to run in The Everest because the rewards are much, much better not taking on Ka Ying Rising, Tempted and Joliestar.
The slotholders asked for the slot fee to be returned in prizemoney a couple of years ago, and Racing NSW agreed to the request.
Racing NSW needs to ask something of the slotholders.
The regulator changed the conditions on the Kosciuszko because owners were demand too much of the prizemoney in deals in the first running of that event. It was done to protect the slotholders, who won the sweepstakes.
They need to protect the owners in The Everest by guaranteeing an appearance fee for the 12 runners, set at $200,000.
The goal should be to have the best field and that’s the responsibility of the slotholders.
Tempted to get a $1 million bonus as she heads to Melbourne
Tempted will add another $1 million to her Everest booty from the bonus series after taking an unassailable lead without running in the Russell Balding Stakes.
The star mare will stay on the Group 1 path in the Champions Sprint at Flemington, which will see a number her rivals staying in Sydney.
The series runs across the sprints in the Sydney spring and with her three wins, Tempted has 20 points, twice has many as Joliestar.
The bonus payments go down to fifth with $500,000 for second, $250,000 for third, $150,000 for fourth and $100,000 for fifth, which will see many the Kosciuszko, Sydney Stakes and Everest stay in Sydney to avoid the superstar mare.
There is another bonus for runners for those three races, which see them get an extra $700,000 for winning the Russell Balding, $200,000 for second and $100,000 for third.
Mazu on last chance in Sydney as Pride plots Melbourne escape
Joe Pride has decided to send evergreen sprinter Mazu to Melbourne for the rest of the spring because of his pre-race antics at Randwick.
The winner of more than $11 million in prizemoney has developed a phobia about going onto the Randwick track where he all but refuses to walk onto the track.
Before his win in The Shorts, Mazu needed both clerk of the courses to coax him through the gate and onto Randwick. He stood still and lashed out before getting on the track and heading to barriers.
“He is on his last chance in Sydney and stewards are close to banning him, so are sending down to Melbourne where he doesn’t have a problem,” Pride said.
“He is still very competitive at that top level and if they got a bit of rain down there it would be very handy.”
The eight-year-old will take his place in the McEwan Stakes on Cox Plate, before choosing another race during Cup week, perhaps the Champions Sprint.
One for the punters
Unleeshing stepped up to black type grade swooping down the centre to victory in the Angst Stakes and it will be interesting where Bjorn Baker goes next. She could end up in the Empire Rose Stakes or a Five Diamonds and I think she might be the right price in either of those races to have a bet.
One from the stewards
Skybird probably wasn’t happy to see the drying track at Randwick on Saturday. That kind of luck extended to the race where she had a checked path from back in the field after a slow getaway. She “was held up for clear running from the 350m and for some distance after passing the 250m was awkwardly placed behind Generosity. Remained badly held up and was unable to be fully tested until after passing the 150m.”
One for the bookies
Eagle Express had absolutely no luck in the straight in the Alinghi Stakes, and will one to follow to Flemington for many. But with James McDonald likely to go on for Chris Waller, she will be no value at all.
One for the futures
Like in many of the futures market, Your Colour is not great value in the VRC Oaks as a $5 chance after her second in the Ethereal Stakes at the weekend. She will be very hard to beat come Oaks day after coming from last and being held up around the home turn, but still finding the line strongest.
