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By Ray Hickson

Everest Calling Sunshine In Paris?

It seems a matter of time before a slot holder comes calling for exciting mare Sunshine In Paris after she made a TAB Everest statement with a dynamic first-up win in the Group 2 $300,000 Irresistible Pools Sheraco Stakes (1200m).

Sunshine In Paris after her Sheraco win (Pic: Steve Hart)

Trainer Annabel Neasham had mentioned the four-year-old as being on an Everest path long before she resumed at Rosehill and who could argue now after her race record performance.

It saw her price slashed from $26 into $11 by TAB and you’d imagine being bred by slot holder Aquis she’d be a good fit for them. Shades Of Rose (2022) and Haut Brion Her (2020) found Everest spots after winning the Sheraco.

“I’m certainly happy to take a slot for anyone who’s got one,’’ Neasham said.

“I think she’s good enough, I think she’s shown that today. She was first-up, we had her ready to go but she’s the sort of filly that goes quite well fresh so she could just keep bubbling along until an Everest in the middle of October.”

Sunshine In Paris settled in the second half behind a solid tempo and when Ryan Maloney asked her to go she sprinted away to score by a length over Espiona, who attacked the line strongly, and favourite Zapateo a similar margin back in third.

She was purchased for $3.9 million at the Magic Millions broodmare sale earlier this year by John Camilleri and James Harron and Saturday’s race was just her sixth start.

Neasham said the $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) wouldn’t be beyond the mare either, given she is a Group 1 winner at 1400m.

“We’d have to talk to John (Camilleri) and see what he wants to do and work it out next week, we need a slot first,” she said.

“I’d say we may just keep her fresh, a high-pressured race will really suit.”

Godolphin Circling Rose With Cylinder

James Cummings sees no reason why star three-year-old Cylinder can’t continue on his winning way and take out the prized Group 1 in the $1m Golden Rose (1400m) in three weeks after another get out of jail win at Rosehill.

Cylinder (outside) wins the Run To The Rose (Pic: Steve Hart)

It took all of Nash Rawiller’s patience and skill to extricate the colt from a tricky position and sprint but he did just that to nail a gallant Moravia for a long head win with Nadal close up in third.

“He really had to knuckle down, he had no time at all to float around and think about anything,’’ Cummings said.

“I like the way the horse switched off and all of a sudden there were, three, four horses ahead of him in the run and he wasn’t getting the commentary about the cheap lead or the map favours that he might have gotten after the draws came out during the week after acceptances.

“He just zapped along like a very good colt and he’s setting himself up very well for the early part of the spring.”

It continued an amazing run from Godolphin’s three-year-olds in the Run To The Rose with In Secret last year, Anamoe (2021) and Bivouac (2019) recent winners for the blue team.

Cylinder took outright favouritism for the Golden Rose at $4 after the win with his Golden Slipper conqueror Shinzo, set to run in the Group 1 first-up, at $4.50.

Cummings said he can’t rule Cylinder out as an Everest prospect either but is focused on the Group 1 first.

“I think the Golden Rose looks very nice for the horse. He will have to stretch to seven (furlongs) but two runs under the belt, he can certainly do that,” he said.

“We should have our options open for all races. Perhaps it was the run of a horse who shouldn’t have won today and yet he managed to find a way to do it and that’s the mark of an exceptional horse.

Trainer Gary Portelli indicated the Golden Rose could be the next port of call for Encap after he posted his first career win in the Group 3 Ming Dynasty (1400m). Encap firmed to $15 after his victory.

Kosciuszko Field Filling Up

Just one slot remains in the $2m The Kosciuszko after a frenzy of selections in the first 24 hours following the ticket draw for the popular country race on TAB Everest Day.

Early favourite Opal Ridge, defending champ Front Page, 2022 runner-up Far Too Easy and fourth placed Cavalier Charles, the unbeaten Mogo Magic, Country Championships placegetters Talbragar and I’ve Bean Tryin’, Albury duo Bianco Vilano and Mnementh and emerging gallopers Coco Rox, Derry Grove and Broken Hill have all found slots.

Trainer Matthew Kelley was relieved to receive a call from Concord West slot winner James Hegarty on Saturday after the Country Championships third placegetter was overlooked in the first 11 horses selected.

He’s now able to stick to his plan of jumping the five-year-old out on Wednesday week on the Canberra polytrack before trialling at Goulburn 13 days later and going into The Kosciuszko on October 14 first-up.

“It all fits in pretty smooth for him, that’s all he needs, he looks ready to race tomorrow,’’ Kelley said.

“I was getting a bit worried about getting in. He’s a really nice fellow, an old battler.”

The Kosciuszko field is not final until acceptances are taken on Wednesday 11 October.

Next Stop Epsom For Fresh Communist

Michael Freedman is taking a fresh approach to bringing Group 1 winner Communist back to his best for the Group 1 $1.5m TAB Epsom (1600m) in three weeks.

The four-year-old has spent a week down at Jean Dubois’ old property on the Southern Highlands working on the hills and Freedman is hopeful the change will refocus his mind after two forgettable runs this campaign.

Trainer Michael Freedman (Pic: Bradley Photos).

Wide barriers haven’t helped Communist’s cause either. Freedman is adamant Communist is going better than his form suggests.

“At home I think he’s going as well as he’s ever gone, I suppose we’ll find out on the day.

“I’d say he’ll have a trial 8 or 10 days before the Epsom. First-up in the Winx he was four wide without cover from a bad gate and that may have taken a bit out of him second-up.

“If he remains in the form he’s in at the moment he could put his hand up in a race like the Epsom.”

Communist, Randwick Guineas winner last season, is a $51 chance in TAB’s all-in Epsom market.

Meanwhile, Freedman said he’s learned his lesson with Bunker Hut who proved with his first-up Midway Handicap (1200m) win that he’s a short courser.

The gelding, who was having his first run for new owners, was tried up to 2000m as a three-year-old but has found his niche in sprints.

“I got him wrong as a young horse,’’ he said.

“Because of the way he was finishing his races off I thought we’ll step him up but we’ve worked him out now, keep him happy and fresh and keep him to the shorter trips.”

Check out the replays and results from Run To The Rose Day at Rosehill Gardens