THE LAST SAY: 2024 The Everest hopes on the line at Royal Randwick, Moonee Valley

Some of the nation’s best sprinters will be striving for The Everest selection in feature races at Royal Randwick and The Valley on Saturday.

Ray Thomas

5 min read

September 7, 2024 - 8:19AM

Hold All Tickets - Punters (Episode 2) 07-09-24

Opinion

Don't miss out on the headlines from Opinion. Followed categories will be added to My News.

Some of the nation’s best sprinters will be striving for The Everest selection in feature races at Royal Randwick and The Valley on Saturday.

Giga Kick, winner of the 2022 Everest, hasn’t started for 12 months due to injury but finally makes his return to racing against a crack field in the Group 3 $1 million Concorde Stakes (1000m).

The Clayton Douglas-trained Giga Kick is the $2.70 favourite but there is good money for Bella Nipotina, the “Iron Lady” of Australian racing, and Godolphin’s Aft Cabin.

Private Eye, the dual Everest placegetter, resumes in the Concorde and it is worth noting he has a very good first-up record – in fact he has won at his first run back in the new season the past four years!

At The Valley, the ruling Everest favourite I Wish I Win resumes in the Group 1 $750,000 Moir Stakes (1000m).

The tight, turning 1000m Valley track might not be ideal for I Wish I Win but if gets galloping room from the 600m he is capable of finishing over the top of his rivals.

I Wish I Win already has an Everest slot but the likes of Golden Slipper winner Lady Of Camelot, Estriella, Coleman, Hayasugi and Caballus will have their admirers in the Moir Stakes.

TODAY’S EXPERT TIPS
• RANDWICK: Clinton Payne tips $4.40, $6.50 best bets
• MOONEE VALLEY: Mark Guest’s race-by-race tips and analysis
• DOOMBEN: Graeme Carey’s keen on $4.60 best bet
• MORPHETTVILLE, BELMONT: Heath Pope and Aaron Mills’ best plays
• MELBOURNE MAIL: Cameron Happ’s best bets for The Valley

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

ROYAL RANDWICK
Weather: Mild, partly cloudy day with a forecast top temperature of 26c.
Track: Good (4)
Rail: Out 6m entire circuit

THE VALLEY
Weather: Cool, sunny day with a forecast top temperature of 19c.
Track: Good (4)
Rail: True

DOOMBEN
Weather: Warm, sunny day with a forecast top temperature of 28c.
Track: Soft (5)
Rail: Out 1m entire circuit

MORPHETTVILLE
Weather: Cool, partly cloudy day with a possible shower or two and a forecast top temperature of 18c.
Track: Soft (5)
Rail: Out 9m from 1000m to winning post, 6m out the remainder

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

BE WARY
The Royal Randwick rail position has been shifted 6m out after being 3m out at the most recent meeting on August 24. All 10 winners made their finishing runs towards the centre of the track as jockeys steered clear of the inside section of the home straight. There are gusty southerly winds forecast for the afternoon which will act as a tailwind in the sprint to the finish. The Valley is a Good 4 and with the forecast for sunny weather plus the rail back in the true position, on-pace horses will be favoured.

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

ROYAL RANDWICK

THE BEST BET
ZARDOZI (Race 8 No.10) resumed in the Group 1 Winx Stakes two weeks ago and ran a very competitive race to finish sixth, albeit without a lot of galloping room in the straight. This outstanding mare isn’t a noted first-up performer and that effort against a star-studded field sets her up for a big spring. The Chelmsford Stakes doesn’t boast the same quality of opposition as Zardozi met first-up and she is effective second-up from a spell. The Godolphin mare is into $2.15 but is a deserved favourite. Bad luck in running is her main danger.

THE NEXT BEST
MANAAL (Race 6 No.1) loomed up to win but might have peaked on her run when a close third to Ameena in the Silver Shadow Stakes. Both fillies clash over the same course and distance but Manaal meets her rival 3kg better for being beaten less than a half length. Manaal showed her quality last season winning the Group 1 ATC Sires and finishing an unlucky fifth in the Golden Slipper. She’s the one to beat in the Furious Stakes.

VALUE BET
FLOATING (Race 5 No.6) resumed in the Goulburn Cup and had no luck in running before finishing ninth behind Green Shadows. He was held up for a run most of the straight and went to the line without being extended at any stage of the race. Floating will still be on “fresh” legs as he didn’t get tested first-up so staying at 1600m is no issue and he likes Randwick. The grey is terrific each way value.

THE WHISPER
AFT CABIN (Race 7 No.3) resumes in the Concorde Stakes but there is a quiet confidence about the Godolphin sprinter’s chances. There has been good support for Aft Cabin since final fields were declared with his odds firming from $11 to $6.50 yesterday, with TAB Fixed Odds taking some big bets on him including $8900 at $8, $3000 at $8, $2000 at $8. Aft Cabin has been gelded since he last raced and his recent barrier trial efforts have been brilliant.

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

THE VALLEY

THE BEST BET
PERICLES (Race 8 No.2) ran well first-up when beaten less than a length into third placing behind Gentleman Roy and Pinstriped in the PB Lawrence Stakes. The form has been franked with the runner-up winning the Group 1 Memsie Stakes last week. Pericles goes to the So You Think Stakes second-up where he is always effective and he gets Blake Shinn who is without peer as a rider on this track. Ready to win.

NEXT BEST
ARKANSAW KID (Race 5 No.3) was impressive beating Who Dares when resuming in the Regal Roller Stakes two three weeks ago. Who Dares does meet him better at the weights this time but Arkansaw Kid is a promising sprinter effective second-up and a winner at The Valley. There is talk of an Everest start for Arksansaw Kid so he will need to win this impressively.

VALUE BET
NAILS MURPHY (Race 3 No.10) has had plenty of chances but this race sets up well for him. He was placed over this course and distance last start and although up slightly in grade he gets in with only 54.5kg. He’s been placed in five of his eight Australian starts including the last three in succession. Bursting to win a race and around the $5 mark he’s a good gamble.

THE WHISPER
PUBLIC ATTENTION (Race 7 No.3) created a big impression on debut winning at Caulfield during winter. He was then put aside and set for the spring carnival, winning a recent barrier trial to ready him for his return to racing. There’s a lot expected of boom colt Public Attention starting with this race.

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

TAB FIXED ODDS BIG BETS AND MARKET MOVERS

ROYAL RANDWICK
Race 1: Tavs $8-$6.50, Cheerful Legend $8-$7, Powers Of Opal $11-$8.50
Race 2: Spring Lee $3.60-$3.30, Martini Mumma $3.60-$2.90
Race 3: Atmospheric Rock $4.60-$4, Lisztomania $6-$5, Fields Of Myrtle $11-$7.50,
Race 4: Strathtay $2.50-$2.20, Tapildoodledo $23-$13
Race 5: Galeron $3.50-$3 with a $2000 bet at $3.40, Zeyrek $4.60-$4, Major Beel $6-$5.50
Race 6: Manaal $2.80-$2.60, El Morzillo $15-$10, Lazzura $15-$11
Race 7: Giga Kick $3.10-$2.70, Bella Nipotina 5-$4.40, Aft Cabin $11-$6.50 with bets of $8900 at $8, $3000 at $8, $2000 at $8
Race 8: Zardozi $2.50-$2.15, Adelaide River $11-$8.50
Race 9: Amelia’s Jewel $2.80-$2.60, Freedom Rally $8-$5, Democracy Manifest $11-$7.50
Race 10: Well Timed $11-$5 with a $2000 e/w bet at $2.40/$6.50, Congregation $8-$7.50, Thunderlips $11-$9.50

THE VALLEY
Race 1: Captain Barbossa $4.60-$3.60, Twin Engine $8-$6.50
Race 2: Written In Code $5-$4.80, Charisse $12-$10, The Marg Factor $17-$10
Race 3: Aramco $5.50-$4
Race 4: Lincoln Rocks $3-$2.70, Name Dropper $9-$8, Denmark $13-$9.50
Race 5: Arkansaw Kid $2.20-$2.10, Who Dares $4.80-$4.60, Savannah Cloud $11-$8
Race 6: Silmarillion $2.70-$2.40, Supercilious $13-$8
Race 7: Public Attention $6-$4.80, Red Sea $7.50-$6
Race 8: Pericles $2.70-$2.20, Munhamek $8.50-$6
Race 9: Lady Of Camelot $3.70-$3.10, Estriella $3.20-$4-$3.90 with bets of $5000 at $4, $4000 at $3.50, I Wish I Win $5-$4.60, Mornington Glory $19-$11 with a $2290 bet at $16
Race 10: Verdad $5-$3.90, Miss Aria $9.50-$6