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Ray Thomas and Ron Dufficy’s 2024 The Everest runner-by-runner guide

Ray Thomas and Ron Dufficy debate the chances of every runner in the $20 million The TAB Everest at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Ray Thomas
8 min read
October 18, 2024 - 2:30PM
Hold All Tickets - Punters (Episode 8) 19-10-24

Racenet and The Daily Telegraph’s Ray Thomas and Sky Thoroughbred Central’s form expert Ron Dufficy debate the chances of every runner in the $20 million The TAB Everest at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

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1 – I WISH I WIN (NZ)
6YO black gelding
Breeding: By Savabeel from Make A Wish
Barrier: 9
Weight: 58.5kg
Co-trainers: Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman
Jockey: Luke Nolen
Race record: 23 starts 7-7-6
Prizemoney: $12,076,803
Major wins: Golden Eagle, TJ Smith, Kingsford-Smith Cup
Recent form: x32x321x53

Ron Dufficy: We all know he is a quality horse. He’s had his eye on this prize since running second last year. I think soft will be perfect for him just to pull those sharper types back to him and I think he will be very, very hard to hold out.

Ray Thomas: I Wish I Win has raced competitively with fast finishing efforts in both The Valley runs this spring. He’s much better suited over the Randwick 1200m course and he is a proven big-race performer. The one to beat.

Slot holder: NZ Trackside Media

Did you know: I Wish I Win is attempting to become the first to win the nation’s two richest races, the Golden Eagle, which he won in 2022, and The Everest.

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2 – GIGA KICK
5YO chestnut gelding
Breeding: By Scissor Kick from Rekindled Applause
Barrier: 3
Weight: 58.5kg
Trainer: Clayton Douglas
Jockey: Mark Zahra
Race record: 13 starts 7-1-2
Prizemoney: $9,689,700
Major wins: The Everest, All Aged Stakes, Doomben 10,000
Recent form: x3211x3x54

Ron Dufficy: We know he won this race two years ago. Two runs back from a spell are acceptable after that year off so I think he is primed now and right at his best today so no excuses for him. He’s another one, he’s got some very good soft form, he won the Everest on a soft 6, he ran second in a TJ Smith on a heavy 9 and he won an All Aged Stakes on a soft 7 so he is a big promotion if he gets a wet track.

Ray Thomas: Giga Kick had 12 months off racing due to injury but has shaken off the “ring rust’’ with two solid efforts this spring including his closing fourth in the Premiere Stakes. An outstanding sprinter who is working his way back to his brilliant best.

Slot holder: Pinecliff Racing

Did you know: Giga Kick, winner of The Everest in 2022, can join Redzel (2017-18) as the only dual winners of The Everest.

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3 – PRIVATE EYE
7YO brown gelding
Breeding: By Al Maher from Confidential Queen
Barrier: 10
Weight: 58.5kg
Trainer: Joe Pride
Jockey: Jay Ford
Race record: 37 starts 11-5-3
Prizemoney: $10,683,185
Major wins: Epsom Handicap, The Shorts, Gilgai Stakes
Recent form: 2x26034x46

Ron Dufficy: He’s an old hard-head. He is a proven big time performer. He has been placed in two Everests and nothing wrong with his two runs back so he’ll keep them honest.

Ray Thomas: Private Eye is a seasoned sprint star but he hasn’t won for 13 months. His two unplaced runs this campaign have been good enough to earn another shot at the title. He has to overcome an awkward barrier.

Slot holder: M Whitby, C Madden & N Werrett

Did you know: Private Eye cost only $62,500 as a yearling, the cheapest purchase in The Everest, and he has already earned more than $10.6 million prizemoney.

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4 – BELLA NIPOTINA
7YO chestnut mare
Breeding: By Pride Of Dubai from Bella Orfana
Barrier: 12
Weight: 56.5kg
Trainer: Ciaron Maher
Jockey: Craig Williams
Race record: 54 starts 9-13-12
Prizemoney: $11,262,625
Major wins: Manikato Stakes, Doomben 10,000, Tattersall’s Tiara
Recent form: 4241221x23

Ron Dufficy: She is the iron-lady of the Australian turf. She’s having her 55th start today and has never been in better form. Fantastic in two runs back on the dry and even better on the soft so a great hope. It all depends on the way the track plays; if it is down the outside, she’s right in it.

Ray Thomas: Bella Nipotina competes in all the best sprint races and is invariably fighting out the finish. She was unlucky in both the Concorde Stakes and Premiere Stakes, her closing sectionals were quite outstanding. Drawn the outside barrier but she is one of the main chances.

Slot holder: TAB

Did you know: Bella Nipotina will vault to third on the all-time prizemoney list with more than $18 million in the bank if she wins The Everest.

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5 – I AM ME
6YO bay mare
Breeding: By I Am Invincible from Mefnooda
Barrier: 1
Weight: 56.5kg
Trainer: Ciaron Maher
Jockey: Nash Rawiller
Race record: 23 starts 11-3-2
Prizemoney: $3,689,850
Major wins: Missile Stakes, Sydney Stakes, The Shorts
Recent form: 122x344x11

Ron Dufficy: She has been back to the trials since putting two great wins together in the right lead-ups. I would prefer her on dry but she just keeps jumping that bar.

Ray Thomas: I Am Me is in the best form of her career, taking full advantage of inside barriers to win the Concorde Stakes and The Shorts. Her winning margins were slim for both races but she is very tough to pass. She will get the run of th race again from the rails gate.

Slot holder: The Star & Arrowfield

Did you know: If I Am Me can complete the Concorde Stakes-The Shorts-The Everest treble she will join Redzel (2017) as the only sprinters to complete the hat-trick of Sydney spring sprints.

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6 – STEFI MAGNETICA
4YO bay mare
Breeding: By All Too Hard from Mid Summer Music
Barrier: 6
Weight: 56.5kg
Trainer: Bjorn Baker
Jockey: Zac Lloyd (a)
Race record: 14 starts 3-3-4
Prizemoney: $2,315,800
Major wins: Stradbroke Handicap
Recent form: 2342x531x2

Ron Dufficy: The Stradbroke winner has been kept fresh with a trial since a great run in The Shorts where she would have won in one more stride so you can’t dismiss her.

Ray Thomas: Stefi Magnetica was an outstanding winner of the Stradbroke Handicap late last season and resumed with a fast-finishing second to I Am Me in The Shorts. She was held up for a run in the straight and arguably should have won. She won her first race in a Wellington maiden 15 months ago and remarkably here she is on the verge of Everest glory.

Slot holder: Newgate & GPI Racing

Did you know: If Stefi Magnetica can complete the Stradbroke Handicap-The Everest double, she will emulate Think About It’s feat last year.

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7 – SUNSHINE IN PARIS
5YO bay mare
Breeding: By Invader from Zenaida
Barrier: 8
Weight: 56,5kg
Co-trainers: Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald
Jockey: Tommy Berry
Race record: 10 starts 5-2-1
Prizemoney: $1,196,700
Major wins: Surround Stakes, Sheraco Stakes (twice)
Recent form: 21x1x254x1

Ron Dufficy: Talented sprinting mare. Put the writing on the wall in the Sheraco Stakes winning impressively first-up and fresh is best for her for sure.

Ray Thomas: Sunshine In Paris is an underrated mare but there is no denying her talent. She was brilliant first-up in the Sheraco Stakes, again unleashing her impressive acceleration to win easily. Extremely talented mare who races best fresh and I have her in my top two selections.

Slot holder: Fairway Thoroughbreds

Did you know: Sunshine In Paris is trying to overcome the hoodoo on mares in The Everest – no mare or filly has managed to win or even place in the race.

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8 – JOLIESTAR
4YO bay mare
Breeding: By Zoustar from Jolie Bay
Barrier: 4
Weight: 56.5kg
Trainer: Chris Waller
Jockey: James McDonald
Race record: 8 starts 4-3-1
Prizemoney: $1,885,475
Major wins: Thousand Guineas, Arrowfield 3YO Sprint
Recent form: x2221x1x13

Ron Dufficy: Lovely mare. I thought she was superb in the Show County first-up. A touch flat in the Sheraco when she was an odds-on favourite second-up but a great trial since. I like the Waller timing with her today and although she’s got no soft track experience, being by Zoustar, I won’t mark her down.

Ray Thomas: Joliestar scored a stunning and arrogant first-up win in the Show County Quality then wasn’t at her best when third to Sunshine In Paris in the Sheraco Stakes. She has had five weeks between runs and goes to The Everest on fresh legs after a good recent barrier trial. She is likely to start favourite and is going to get the run of the race.

Slot holder: Chris Waller Racing

Did you know: Joliestar is trained by Chris Waller who is chasing a record third win in The Everest after his successes with Nature Strip (2021) and Yes Yes Yes (2019).

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9 – GROWING EMPIRE
3YO bay colt
Breeding: By Zoustar from Miles Of Krishan
Barrier: 7
Weight: 53kg
Trainer: Ciaron Maher
Jockey: Kerrin McEvoy
Race record: 6 starts 4-2-0
Prizemoney: $784,650
Major wins: HDF McNeil Stakes, Breeders’ Stakes
Recent form: 211x112

Ron Dufficy: Growing Empire is the new kid on the block with a real X-Factor about him. He promises to be the real deal and I feel he gets his chance to stamp himself here.

Ray Thomas: Growing Empire has loads of talent as he has demonstrated with his wins in the McNeil Stakes and Poseidon Stakes before his close second in the Manikato Stakes. He was very brave at The Valley against the older sprinters which showed he is worthy of an Everest start.

Slot holder: Yulong Investments

Did you know: Growing Empire could give jockey Kerrin McEvoy a fourth win in The Everest after Classique Legend (2020) and Redzel (2017-18).

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10 – TRAFFIC WARDEN
3YO bay colt
Breeding: By Street Boss from Efficiently
Barrier: 2
Weight: 53kg
Trainer: James Cummings
Jockey: Ms Jamie Kah
Race record: 9 starts 3-3-1
Prizemoney: $1,202,200
Major wins: Run To The Rose, VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes
Recent form: 2138142x12

Ron Dufficy: Talented three-year-old. He is a stronger horse this preparation. I like the fact he is coming back from the 1400m of the Golden Rose and he is a very adaptable horse who you can make a few moves on.

Ray Thomas: Traffic Warden was competitive at the top level last season but he has gone to a new level this spring. He finished fast to win the Run To The Rose and then ran a blinder to beat all but Broadsiding in the Golden Rose. Yes Yes Yes won The Everest off a similar preparation five years ago.

Slot holder: Godolphin

Did you know: Godolphin has had three near misses in The Everest with a second placing from Bivouac (2020), and thirds with Trekking (2019) and Osborne Bulls (2018).

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11 – STORM BOY
3YO bay colt
Breeding: By Justify from Pelican
Barrier: 5
Weight: 53kg
Co-trainers: Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott
Jockey: Brenton Avdulla
Race record: 9 starts 5-0-2
Prizemoney: $2,847,350
Major wins: Skyline Stakes, San Domenico Stakes, Magic Millions 2YO Classic
Recent form: 111134x134

Ron Dufficy: I am starting to think he is a better chance than what some markets suggest. We are talking up Traffic Warden, but Storm Boy was only beaten a neck – a neck – by him in the Golden Rose. He’s had a lovely freshen since, he is at home and he might just bounce back.

Ray Thomas: Storm Boy was the juvenile sensation of last season before he was beaten into third place in the Golden Slipper. He looked back to his best when he led and dominated in the San Domenico Stakes before narrow losses in successive starts including the Golden Rose. The barrier is ideal and if he jumps well, he should lead and prove difficult to run down.

Slot holder: Coolmore

Did you know: Storm Boy comes out of barrier five which has produced the past two The Everest winners, Giga Kick (2022) and Think About It last year.

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12 – LADY OF CAMELOT
3YO bay filly
Breeding: By Written Tycoon from Miss Debutante
Barrier: 11
Weight: 51kg
Co-trainers: Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott
Jockey: Ms Rachel King
Race record: 7 starts 2-2-1
Prizemoney: $3,624,000
Major wins: Golden Slipper, Widden Stakes
Recent form: 4x1212x37

Ron Dufficy: The Golden Slipper-winning filly is third-up and won a recent trial. I am convinced she can get into more of a rhythm at 1200m rather than the bustle and could improve.

Ray Thomas: Lady Of Camelot came from off speed to win the Golden Slipper earlier this year and her two runs against the older horses this spring have been inconclusive. She was unlucky finishing third in the Moir Stakes then endured a tough run when seventh in The Shorts. She is way over the odds for such a talented filly.

Slot holder: Go Bloodstock/James Harron

Did you know: Lady Of Camelot is the first Golden Slipper-winning filly to contest The

Everest since She Will Reign ran unplaced in 2017.

Originally published as Ray Thomas and Ron Dufficy’s 2024 The Everest runner-by-runner guide

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Original URL: https://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/horse-racing/nsw-racing/ray-thomas-and-ron-dufficys-2024-the-everest-runnerbyrunner-guide/news-story/e8bf2afe0e7869f39d223f16943de8dc