Champion jockey James McDonald has declared this year’s edition of The Everest the toughest ever, but believes he has the right horse and right barrier to win.
The best run will win the Everest and McDonald hopes to give it to Joliestar, which is in the right form and, more importantly, frame of mind.
“The Everest is often a race, where there are limited winning chances but this year I think there are five or six,” McDonald said.
“Ka Ying Rising is very good but he has to come here and do it.”
“I really wanted that good gate [of barrier five] with her because you need everything to go right in The Everest, especially this one.”
“She is good enough to win and I’m confident. I have ridden her since she won the Thousand Guineas as a filly and she has never been going this good.”
“She is a fully mature five-year-old and her mindset is right. She has just put it all together this time in.”
Joliestar is the only returning runner from last year’s Everest as a generational change has come across the sprinting ranks. She had no luck in the run last year when shuffled back to last before being beaten 1-1/2 lengths into seventh.
She won her only lead-up in The Shorts charging away from Briasa, which went on to win the Premiere Stakes.
“She is different this year, more able to cope with pressure and put herself in a position,” McDonald said. “In The Shorts she was just comfortable out wide and was going to win a long way out.”
“She is quite explosive when you need it. You can see that in her Newmarket and Kingsford Smith Cup wins.”
“She has the barrier to be in the right place and I think we will see the very best of her.”
McDonald will look for a second King Charles III Stakes with Fangirl after they won it together two years ago.
He is well aware of the presence of Pride Of Jenni and suggested he would like to be midfield to be able to run her down.
“You don’t want to give her too much (of a) start [Pride of Jenni],” McDonald said. “I want to be a pair closer rather than getting right back in the field. When Fangirl won this race she was able to do that. It makes her turn of foot more of a weapon.”
