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By Ray Hickson

While most attention has been on the ‘will he or won’t he’ story around boom colt Storm Boy, co-trainer Adrian Bott says Golden Slipper winner Lady Of Camelot has been flying under the TAB Everest radar.

Trainer Adrian Bott (Pic: Grant Guy)

It’s easy to forget that Lady Of Camelot comfortably beat her stablemate home in the two-year-old classic back in April, with the focus on the colt, and Bott said he’s more than happy with how the filly arrives at the Group 1 $20m TAB Everest (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday.

Two Golden Slipper winners have contested the Everest and both finished unplaced – She Will Reign (11th) in the inaugural year 2017 and Shinzo (6th) last year.

Lady Of Camelot was Group 1 placed in the Moir Stakes (1000m) first-up and was beaten 2-3/4 lengths by I Am Me in the Group 2 Shorts (1100m) after a wide run when unsuited under the weight conditions. She’s since won a trial filled with Group 1 performers.

Bott and co-trainer Gai Waterhouse have had a couple of stellar years with their two-year-olds and he said it’s no surprise that the field is stacked with new season three-year-olds.

“It’s an open year and it’s exciting to see the fact that a third of the field is three-year-olds,’’ Bott said.

“Lady Of Camelot had a really nice trial going into this and she’s going into this fresh.

“We tried to give her the style of campaign that would suit her best to get to the grand final.

“Fortunately the slot holders trusted in that style of campaign even though it wasn’t visually what you wanted to see for her last start.

“It was still the right set up to get her here peaking on the day.”

The filly, $41 with TAB after drawing barrier 11, runs in a slot that her owner Sir Owen Glenn’s Go Thoroughbreds shares with James Harron Bloodstock in the 2024 TAB Everest while stablemate Storm Boy is Coolmore’s representative after finally being confirmed on Monday.

Storm Boy started his spring with a bang winning the Group 3 San Domenco Stakes (1100m) but his two subsequent starts have been overshadowed by talk around whether he’ll step away from the barriers cleanly.

It’s fair to say his tendency to take a stride or two to get going cost him when third in the Run To The Rose (1200m) behind Traffic Warden and Bott said his close fourth in the Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) was pleasing.

“He’s freshened up really well in those three weeks between runs, he’s in very good order and we're happy with the way everything has gone to date,’’ he said.

“He’s maturing every time he steps out, he’s getting more seasoned, he’s still lightly raced and there’s more potential for upside.”

Bott said there’s a scenario where Storm Boy, $13 with TAB, takes full advantage of drawing barrier five in the TAB Everest and Saturday would be a perfect time for him to come of age.

“We’ve got a nice draw for him and just hope we get the right conditions on the day,’’ he said.

“The softer draw might help us going into this run, barrier five might help us take up a nice position and give us a few more options.”

In the seven years of the TAB Everest so far, Waterhouse and Bott have only had four runners – two of them last year – with sixths by English (2017) and Hawaii Five Oh (2023) their best results.

Group 1 winner Major Beel might be one of the outsiders in the $5m King Charles III Stakes (1600m) but, as a natural on pacer, he’s set to play an important role in the outcome.

With most expecting Pride Of Jenni to establish a handy lead, Bott said it could suit Major Beel who will likely be the horse with the job of being the first chaser.

Lady Of Camelot wins a Randwick trial on October 8

The 2023 Australian Derby winner was beaten 1-1/4 lengths in the 7 Stakes while he ran seventh in the TAB Epsom two weeks ago.

“The race shape and pattern may actually suit his style of racing. It’ll be an intriguing race in that regard,’’ he said.

“He will be a much better chance than what the market will suggest. His run in the 7 Stakes was excellent at weight-for-age which was an important deciding factor in getting him here.

“He led up in an Epsom and it’s not an easy race to be doing that in and I thought he stuck on well.”

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