No I in Everest, but there’s one in Invitation for Concorde flyer

Dynamic Syndications boss Dean Watt dented some Everest aspirations in Saturday’s Concorde Stakes with I Am Me but would rather an Invitation than a slot as the spring develops.

While most would be looking for a call from a slot-holder, Watt lowered his sights to the next couple of legs in the Sydney Sprint Series – The Shorts and the Premiere Stakes – and the Invitation.

I Am Me and Bella Nipotina fight out the finish of the Concorde Stakes.Credit: Getty Images

“She loves Randwick and we were fairly confident today with the way she has been going,” Watt said. “The Sprint Series interests us, but the race I think is perfect for her is The Invitation. It’s worth $2 million; we would love to get asked into it.

“Look, The Everest is a great race but there are so many different options for good money and we can pick what we think is best for her.”

I Am Me followed the leader Way To The Stars into the straight on the fence, which was an advantage all day, at a flying tempo and had a change of pace to put her away. Only stablemate Bella Nipotina would come near her to challenge, but she held on.

“She was amazing, wasn’t she,” jockey Nash Rawiller said.

“I was surprised, because I really dove through that gap, and as soon as I produced her I thought I’m in trouble, because Bella Nipotina was coming. It was pretty quick at that point.”

“I thought she’d out-tough me, but I loved the character of my horse.

“She picked up and really just wasn’t going to lay down.”

I Am Me was backed from $11 into $4.80 to nearly start favourite and held a half-neck margin from Bella Nipotina ($4.40 fav), with Way To The Stars ($61) two lengths in their wake.

Bella Nipotina ran home in a remarkable 31.81 seconds for her last 600m from back in the field and could be in line for an Everest call-up this week.

“She was brilliant. We didn’t get the result but the way she went and the way she initially felt after the race, she is in for a great preparation,” Craig Williams said of Bella Nipotina.

Giga Kick was friendless in betting, blowing from $2.80 to $5 in his return after 12 months off the scene because of injury. The 2022 Everest winner travelled strongly but blew out in the final 100m to finish fifth and three lengths behind the winner.

“More than adequate run,” was James McDonald’s assessment.

“He jumped really well, travelled comfortably in a midfield position. He gave me a 150m sprint then levelled out pretty quickly after.

“Obviously sub-32 sectionals late which was pretty hard to do first up after a year, so a very good run.”

Buckeroo takes Chelmsford from the front

Chris Waller went back to what had worked with Buckeroo in England – racing him on speed – and it delivered a Chelmsford Stakes victory at Randwick on Saturday.

Buckeroo ($7) held off a lat challenge from stablemate Hinged ($5), which got to within a half-head, with Nonconformist ($19) 1¼ lengths away in third.

“He’s been gelded since last preparation. His first-up run was good, and his work has been good,” Waller said.

“Tommy [Berry] had the initiative just to be a bit further forward today with the way the track’s racing, which is how we’re used to racing in the UK and Ireland.

“It’s a good reward for a tough old horse.

“I think Hill Stakes, Craven Plates, they’re million-dollar races, and that’s where first and second will be running.”

Royal Patronage bursts into Epsom contention

Former English miler Royal Patronage rocketed into Epsom contention and lowered the colours of Amelia’s Jewel at his Australian debut in the Tramway Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.

The Tulloch Lodge partnership of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott had been keen on the chances of Royal Patronage, which was a group 2 and group 3 winner in England as a two-year-old, and he is into $8 for the Epsom on the back of his 1¼ length win.

Tim Clark camped just off the speed on Royal Patronage ($16) and dashed clear and easily held Amelia’s Jewel ($3.30), which made good ground late down the centre with Kovalica ($12), which was a short neck back in third.

“We were really confident with what we’d seen from him at home. He worked up quite sharply during the week, which was encouraging going into today,” Bott said.

“He’s put in an excellent performance, and I’m sure there’s still plenty of improvement to come.”

“He could well be an Epsom chance. Tim and I were discussing that off the back of his last trial. We thought that might be a really nice race to target, but in the back of our mind, we thought there could be some targets over further.”

Manaal ready for Autumn Glow challenge

Michael Freedman knows he has the runs on the board with Furious Stakes winner Manaal and is looking forward to a clash with the unbeaten Autumn Glow in the Tea Rose Stakes in a couple of weeks.

Manaal scored her fourth stakes win in the Furious at Randwick on Saturday to go with the Gimcrack Stakes, Sweet Embrace Stakes and group 1 Sires Produce Stakes.

Back to set weights, Manaal ($2.25 fav) got the first run on Ameena ($4.80) courtesy of a near-perfect Jason Collett ride and held on to win by a head, with Lazzura ($14) a half-length away in third.

Freedman believes Manaal will get to her best trip at 1400m in the Tea Rose Stakes, where Up And Coming Stakes winner Autumn Glow would be the nominal favourite.

“You always like to see those two-year-olds that have had a good two-year-old season come back and do it at three,” Freedman said. “I think they’re a fairly even bunch of fillies, so it makes for an exciting Tea Rose.

“If anything, her best performance so far has been at 1400m, so you know I’m looking forward to getting her back up to that trip next start.”

Collett said there always seems to be more in tank with Manaal.

“She gets to the front and you feel like she is just doing enough,” Collett said. “When the other filly came at us, I could feel her lift and do enough to win.”

Melody Again could be Kosciuszko bolter

Scone trainer Scott Singleton has worked out Melody Again at the right time and she could find her way into the Kosciuszko after a commanding Highway Handicap win at Randwick on Saturday.

Jockey Christian Reith took a sit midfield on Melody Again ($9.50) before accelerating and racing clear to win by 1½ length from Lisztomania ($4.80), with favourite Atmospheric Rock ($3.60) another three-quarters of a length back in third.

She ran 1:08.91 for the 1200m, a time which would push her up the list of the 14 lucky Kosciuszko slot-holders that are drawn on Wednesday.

“She is putting it together now,” Reith said. “That is the sort of thing she can do when she has her mind on the job.

“She would be the right horse for a Kossie because she will love the pressure and sprint like that.”

Redstone Well earns crack at the Metropolitan

Annabel Neasham thanked her racing manager for getting the placement right with Redstone Well after he made a one-act affair of the CTC Cup at Randwick on Saturday.

Neasham had leaned towards running in Friday’s Wyong Cup (2100m) before a step up to 2400m was suggested.

“I have to give big thanks to Robyn Hartney, who does all of our form, because she was a big push to come here today,” Neasham said.

Redstone Well ($4.20) rolled to the front and took control, leading all the way and had a four-length margin at the post from Think ‘N’ Fly ($20), with favourite Strathtay ($2.90) two lengths back in third.

“He is a pretty exciting horse and we’re just taking him slowly, going through his grades,” Neasham said. “Maybe look towards the Metrop or something like that.”

Sports news, results, and expert commentary. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.