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By Ray Hickson

It's the start of the road to the TAB Everest, the Group 3 $1 million Concorde Stakes has already produced three Everest winners in the past seven years. Here's a look at the chances of every runner in the 2024 edition.

1. Giga Kick (Clayton Dougas): It’s been a couple of days under a year since the 2022 Everest champ’s last start, in the McEwen Stakes at Moonee Valley won by Imperatriz. Since then he’s had a well publicised injury that has forced him off the scene. It’s been a long, slow, build up to a return and you’d have to say his trials have been excellent. Particularly the most recent where he picked up Linebacker in a 900m heat. His only attempt at the Randwick 1000m was a luckless third in the Challenge Stakes in 2023 where he wasn’t the best away. You’d love to see him come back to his best and if he’s anywhere near it he’ll at least be storming home at the finish.

Giga Kick (Pic: Bradley Photos).

2. Private Eye (Joe Pride): Has a great first-up record and an excellent spring record. Last win was first-up in the Shorts last spring and when resuming in the autumn he was narrowly denied by Imperatriz in the Lightning. He started $2.30 in the Challenge Stakes earlier this year and gave away a big start, despite jumping well, and was huge to get within 1.5 lengths. Two trials look quiet but they’ve been without blinkers so not placing any emphasis on that. This race does look to set up well for him, with a nice amount of speed on paper, and he should be a major player.

3. Aft Cabin (James Cummings): Resumed in the Challenge in the autumn and was unlucky not to go very close, finishing third behind Passive Aggressive. He went missing a bit after that, though he didn’t have the best of luck in the Galaxy, and Godolphin took the option to geld him after his last start third in the Hall Mark. On the evidence of his trials it may have turned him around, he’s looked sharp and ready to go. Last win was the Arrowfield in 2023, some 517 days ago, so he has to get back in the game. Drawn well and it would surprise nobody if he won.

4. Bella Nipotina (Ciaron Maher): Is there a tougher mare in training? She had nine runs in her autumn/winter preparation and managed two Group 1s and a couple of game seconds at that level too. She ran third in this race last year off a similar sort of break, on a soft 5, and you can expect her to be competitive as always. Hit the line like you’d expect in her recent trial, if there’s a negative it’d be a fast track. But she gets every chance from barrier one and it'd be a surprise if she doesn’t make her presence felt.

5. Remarque (Michael, John & Wayne Hawkes): Won this race last year beating In Secret and Bella Nipotina in a solid performance. Just the one more run in that spring and had his chance then fair in two runs in the autumn. As that suggests he can be hit and miss. He’s trialled well as you’d expect, he’s drawn okay and it’s a matter of which version of Remarque turns up.

6. Bandi’s Boy (Danny Williams): His first-up run was a bit of a non-event behind Joliestar in the Show County. He drew wide and went back and didn’t improve. As smart as he is, he’s not well suited here under the conditions with a 4kg rise in weight and the drop to 1000m. He was of course a Group 3 winner in the autumn so we know he has the ability but you’d just like to see him finding the line and progressing further into the spring.

7. I Am Me (Ciaron Maher): Honest mare whose last win came in the Sydney Stakes last spring on Everest Day. She’s not finished worse than fourth in five starts since then, all at Group 1 level at 1200m and 1400m. Travelled to Goulburn for her latest trial and did it as easily as you would expect her to there. Another with a solid first-up record, she has tactical speed and the draw to make some use of it. Can’t discount her as she’s rarely far away.

8. Dragonstone (Joe Pride): Off the scene since winning the Starlight Stakes in early December and is one of those unassuming sprinters who doesn’t win out of turn these days but is always around the mark. He was placed behind I Am Me in the Missile and Buenos Noches in the Show County in 2023 so it’s not like he’s outclassed in this field. He’ll get back and be storming home at the business end. Place wouldn’t shock if one or two of the big guns don’t fire.

Dragonsone (Pic: Bradley Photos)

9. Red Card (James Cummings): Speedy mare whose best form is at 1000m and 1100m so she’s in her wheelhouse here from a distance perspective. She’ll need to make good use of it from the outside barrier, even though the 1000m start is very forgiving, if she’s to cross a couple of those drawn inside her. Not sure she’s quite up to the level of the Everest types but if she gets across she could give some cheek.

10. Moravia (Michael Freedman): Has been up and trialling for a while and was scratched last week from an easier race due to a wide gate. He’s shown some talent but is still a Class 1 horse and this looks very much a chance to get him up and racing. It might suit him if they get along and he finds some cover. Can’t expect a first-up win from him but if he finishes midfield or better and is hitting the line it’d be acceptable for the future.

11. Way To The Stars (Matthew Smith): Slick type who is very much a 1000m horse so he has that in his favour. However, he’s been going around in benchmark races and going well but we’re talking benchmark 72 and 78s and this is a $1 million Group 3 with an Everest winner and a couple of serious Group 1 horses.

12. Le Melody (Brett Cavanough): Imagine if he can finish around midfield in this field it’d be some kind of advertisement for selection into The Kosciuszko. Handy effort over this course a month ago chasing home Our Kobison who would be solid double figure odds in this field as good as that horse is. Five time winner at 1000m but last win was in a no metro win race in Queensland.

SPEED MAP: There should be good speed in this 1000m contest. Red Card has to go forward from the outside gate and Way To The Stars is also a noted front-runner over the short course. I Am Me should use the inside gate to be on their backs. Remarque and Aft Cabin can sit up handy and expecting Private Eye to be around midfield.

SELECTIONS:
2 PRIVATE EYE
1 Giga Kick
3 Aft Cabin
4 Bella Nipotino

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Randwick meeting