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By Ray Hickson

Ciaron Maher describes sprinting marvel Bella Nipotina as a bit of a ‘fiery redhead’ but he’s clearly mastered the art of keeping her happy.

Ciaron Maher (Pic: Bradley Photos).

The seven-year-old mare headlines a strong trio from the Maher camp in Saturday’s Group 1 $20m TAB Everest (1200m) alongside the in-form I Am Me and the emerging colt Growing Empire.

It’s an impressive line up for what is, remarkably, Maher’s first attempt at winning the world’s richest race on turf and he said he couldn’t be bringing a better team to Randwick.

“I’m rapt to be involved this year,’’ he said.

“The three horses all seem to be in really good form, it’s been their plan for a very long time so I’m glad to get them in the race and they’re in a good spot.

“There’s no real standout so it’s going to be a thrilling race.”

Bella Nipotina, $9 with TAB on Friday, drew the outside barrier in the TAB Everest but adversity hasn’t stopped her this year as she’s performed in four states at the top level, won two Group 1s and had near misses in three others.

Maher said mixing up her routine appears to be the secret behind both her longevity and her seemingly bottomless reserves of will to win.

“She’s a red-headed girl who has been racing for a lot of years,’’ Maher said.

“She trains on the beach most of the time. It’s not like you’re in a routine, the beach changes every day and I think that’s the key to her soundness and her mental longevity.

“She seems to thrive, we’ve got a lot of locations and she utilises all of them. A change is as good as a holiday and I think she enjoys that.”

TAB snapped up Bella Nipotina to run in its slot in the TAB Everest and her two runs this spring show Maher she’s on target if she can get the luck in running she needs.

She resumed after her Tatt’s Tiara win in late June to just miss behind stablemate I Am Me in the Concorde Stakes (1000m) then again flew at the finish to run a close third to Airman in the Premiere Stakes (1200m) two weeks ago.

“I think she’s spot on, she was phenomenal in the winter,’’ he said.

“We just ticked her over, her two runs have been very similar and I think she is in career best form.”

It’s probably not obvious but I Am Me has beaten Bella Nipotina in all three clashes in the past 12 months, though there’s not been a lot between them.

Maher said the winner of the Concorde and The Shorts will get her chance to add the Everest to her growing record having once again drawn the inside alley.

It’s been quite a rise for I Am Me as Maher recalls taking her to Goulburn to maker debut three years ago and being beaten.

“She’s been a great horse, she the banner horse for Dynamic Syndications and what a day for them to have a runner in the Everest,’’ he said.

“She needs to run to her best but she’s beaten Bella every time. She probably needs a firmer deck but she’s just a good horse.”

The three-year-old Growing Empire has raced just six times and given he was run down by stablemate Southport Tycoon in his first exposure to Group 1 company in the Manikato, Maher said that’s a great indicator of his promise.

Bella Nipotina runs third in the Premiere Stakes

“That’s the mystique about him, a lot of the other horses in the race we probably know where their ceiling is to a degree,’’ he said.

“Certainly with my other two but he’s an untapped, progressive, colt who seems to have that X-Factor.

“I think Southport Tycoon is a very progressive horse and just the way Growing Empire had to do it and to be only caught late it shows he’s improving every time.”

Three time Everest winner Kerrin McEvoy has the ride on Growing Empire.

All the fields, form and replays for TAB Everest Day at Royal Randwick