Sunshine In Paris lands consolation win in Group 1 Champions Sprint at Flemington after The Everest disappointment

Annabel Neasham will plot a path back to The Everest after Sunshine In Paris turned the tables on Bella Nipotina in the Group 1 Champions Sprint at Flemington.

Classy mare Sunshine In Paris will look for The Everest redemption next year after proving her top-line credentials against the cream of Australia’s top sprinters, storming home to win the Group 1 $3m Champions Sprint (1200m).

After chasing Bella Nipotina in last month’s Everest (fifth) and the Russell Balding Stakes (second), Sunshine In Paris produced the best performance of her career to score a second Group 1 success.

“I went home from The Everest disappointed that we didn’t win,” trainer Annabel Neasham said after Sunshine In Paris ($5) overcame Right To Party ($31) by a short head with a brave Bella Nipotina ($4.50) the same margin back in third.

What a finish! Sunshine in Paris gets her moment in the sun taking out the $3 million Darley Champions Sprint. JMac does it again 👀

🎥 @wwos | #StakesDay | #MelbCupCarnivalpic.twitter.com/0pbzzdXQpm

— Victoria Racing Club (@FlemingtonVRC) November 9, 2024

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“That’s how much we think of her, but there’s not a lot between all these sprinters.

“There’s a lot of good sprinters around at the moment, so for her to beat that field, obviously a very valuable race and to win on this day, it’s been a good day.”

Neasham said the daughter of Invader, who has now won more than $4.7m, would head to the paddock with an ambitious autumn plan to be mapped out.

But the central plan for 2025 will centre on a return to The Everest next October.

“She’s such a special horse,” Neasham said.

“I’m so grateful to (owner) John Camilleri. Obviously he purchased her when I was already training her and there was no guarantee she was coming back to me.

“So to put her back in our stable and give us the faith with her, I’m just glad we can repay him.”

It was the first Group 1 success for Rob Archibald in his training partnership with Neasham.

“I wish Rob was standing here,” she said.

“I did ask him if he wanted to do it. He said, ‘No, I’ll do Sydney’. He was the first person I rang as soon as she crossed the line and I know what that’ll be feeling like for him.”

Sunshine In Paris and James McDonald (white, green and gold silks) weaved through the field to defeat Right To Party and Bella Nipotina in the Champions Sprint at Flemington. Picture: Scott Barbour/Racing Photos via Getty Images

Right To Party almost caused a boilover and looked set to win before James McDonald found the gap in time to record yet another Cup Week winner.

“I was just lucky, I had the right mare to do it, and she was willing,” McDonald said.

Bella Nipotina was typically game in running third, with Craig Williams saying: “She’s a phenomenal racehorse and what we’ve asked her to do, you can see how she’s so competitive again today.”

Right To Party’s jockey Jye McNeil said the four-year-old mare had produced an “absolutely terrific run. To give those horses that start and finish like she did, I thought was a great effort.”

Everest runner-up Giga Kick finished seventh, beaten 2¼ lengths, with Mark Zahra saying: “They probably didn’t go as quick as we’d hoped and he did pull his way into not a bad spot but just left me nothing to finish off with.”

Originally published as Sunshine In Paris lands consolation win in Group 1 Champions Sprint at Flemington after The Everest disappointment