Latest News

By Ray Hickson

James McDonald wanted to treat Zaaki as a target for Godolphin star Anamoe but he'll have to settle for being a solo headline act in the first Group 1 of Everest Carnival at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Jockey James McDonald (Pic: Steve Hart).

But the star hoop will definitely be a target when he reunites with champion sprinter Nature Strip in the Shorts.

The premier jockey rode both Anamoe and Zaaki in their first-up wins but obviously couldn't partner two horses in the Group 1 $1 million Fujitsu General George Main Stakes (1600m) and seems content with the decision to stick with the younger charge.

While Anamoe is the rising star of Australian racing, McDonald said he's not the benchmark yet and will have to take down Zaaki one day to hold that mantle.

“We know where Zaaki’s level is in terms of he’s the benchmark and this is Anamoe’s opportunity to come up to Zaaki’s level,’’ McDonald said.

“As a younger horse coming through the ranks that’s how it is and if he can run extremely well against Zaaki you know you’re sitting pretty."

Anamoe, who won the Winx Stakes (1400m) first-up a month ago, was $2.10 favourite with TAB on Thursday to notch his fifth Group 1.

The four-year-old impressed McDonald with that first-up win, where he tracked the speed from an inside gate and ducked back to the inside to make his bid for victory with a 1-1/2 length margin in his favour.

“It worked out very well for us, he didn’t have too hard a run,’’ he said.

“He just landed straight behind the speed and sprinted home so he’s bounced pout of that really well.

“We always knew he could do that, he oozes class, and he’s so smooth in his action. He’s physically improved a bit and mentally has improved. Up to a mile at Randwick is right up his alley.”

Anamoe and Zaaki have met once before in the Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m), Anamoe finished at the tail on a heavy 10 and Zaaki second, and they’ve drawn alongside each other which suits McDonald.

“He’s a rising star of the Australian turf so we expect him to be running well against this quality of horse,’’ he said.

Nature Strip’s presence in the Group 2 $1 million Bowermans Shorts (1100m) promises to steal the limelight from the Anamoe-Zaaki clash and rightly so given the TAB Everest preview the race is shaping as.

The eight-year-old, who interestingly shares a birthday with Anamoe as both are November 16 foals four years apart, has a revenge mission first-up having been run down by Eduardo in last year’s Shorts.

McDonald said you couldn’t be anything other than impressed with how Nature Strip has returned from his Royal Ascot win in June as evidenced by his trial and exhibition gallop last weekend.

“He’s feeling great that’s the main thing,’’ he said.

“He was there for everyone to see him go around Rosehill the other day with his ears pricked and he enjoyed himself.

Anamoe wins the Winx Stakes at Randwick

“He’s travelled back well, it’s an unknown how it has affected him until he is out there racing but he hasn’t shown any signs of fatigue or anything.”

The Shorts will be Nature Strip’s only lead up run before the $15 million TAB Everest (1200m) and the result will be a significant pointer to the nation’s richest race given he's already $2.80 favourite to go back-to-back on October 15.

McDonald isn’t predicting any particular result but a win over the likes of Eduardo, Lost And Running, Mazu, Masked Crusader and 2020 champ Classique Legend would be a real statement.

“It’ll be a great race with all those Everest horses and will sort the wheat from the chaff anyway,’’ he said.

“If he puts three lengths on them in the Shorts we’re cooking with gas.”

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