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By Ray Hickson

Forgotten horse status doesn’t faze trainer Annabel Neasham when it comes to talking about stable star Sunshine In Paris but she’d dearly like a change of fortune at Randwick on Saturday.

Trainer Annabel Neasham (Pic: Bradley Photos).

The five-year-old mare is again under the radar, Neasham feels largely due to another wide barrier, in the Group 1 $3 million Asahi Super Dry TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) but she said on SEN that a stroke of luck is all she needs to make her presence felt.

It’s easy to forget Sunshine In Paris ran a close fifth in the TAB Everest and won the Group 1 Champions Sprint in the spring and Neasham was more than content with her first-up fourth in the Canterbury Stakes last month.

“She’s often the forgotten horse in the market, that certainly doesn’t bother us, she’s just been a bit luckless with the draws and often just a pair or two too far back,’’ she said.

“It’s hard to run down a lot of these horses. With a bit of luck she’s in this race up to her ears.

“If you go through Sunshine’s runs she’s never run a bad race, ever, she’s always there or thereabouts. The way she’s presenting to us I don’t think we can have her any better.”

The task for Sunshine In Paris, $8.50 with TAB on Thursday, was made tougher with barrier 11 in the 13 horse field but she said the run in the Canterbury Stakes, also from gate 11, showed her more than enough.

Chad Schofield was able to work into a trailing spot behind the speed but things went awry early in the straight when she couldn’t get out and had to duck back to the inside to make her run.

“We’d have loved a better barrier, we had a bad barrier in the Canterbury Stakes and another bad barrier here,’’ Neasham said.

“She couldn’t be going any better, she looks great, she had an exhibition gallop in between. It’s a strong race but I certainly wouldn’t swap her for anything else.

“Last start he drew the widest gate and he got her about one out and one back, it was a peach of a ride, but the horse he was following never took him into it.

“We know she loves Randwick, she’s never run a bad race. She’s essentially our stable star at the moment and it’s always exciting when she’s running.”

There’s some sentiment riding with Lilac as she comes back from Group 1 company into the Group 3 $250,000 Precise Air PJ Bell Stakes (1200m).

PJ Bell is Neasham’s co-trainer Rob Archibald’s grandfather so it’s a race they’d not surprisingly like to win and she says the absence of a couple of big guns makes the job easier.

Lilac was placed in the Light Fingers Stakes two runs back then was forced to lead in the Group 1 Surround Stakes (1400m) and fought on for fourth behind Lady Shenandoah.

“She’s got used to seeing Lady Shenandoah and Lady Of Camelot’s backsides and luckily she won’t have to see either of them,’’ she said.

“There are still some nice fillies in the race. She makes her own luck up on the pace and I know it’s a race Rob’s keen to win, and this is our best chance of winning it yet.

“She looks set to run a nice race from a good draw.”

Sunshine In Paris runs fourth in the Canterbury Stakes

Annabel Neasham on Port Lockroy (race 8): “He’s got a nice draw, so he jumps from the middle of the pack. We probably ran him one too many in the Ingham and as a result he only had a short break. He went to the George Ryder off one trial but I thought the run had plenty of merit and he will only improve off that.”

On Firm Agreement (race 9): Nothing about his pedigree would suggest he’s a Derby type horse and every time he runs he looks like he’s looking for further. It was impossible not to accept for the Derby after that run (on Tuesday). In some ways it was probably the perfect run to back up from. He didn’t have a tough run, he saved ground up the inside and it was like a track gallop for him.”

All the fields, form and replays for Day 1 of The Star Championships at Randwick