Grand campaigner Rothfire has narrowly missed out on a fairytale win in the Doomben 10,000 with class mare Sunshine In Paris overhauling him in the final bounds to snatch her third Group One victory.
In doing so, she delivered a first major for training partners Annabel and Rob Archibald following their recent nuptials while also atoning for a series of luckless runs in Sydney from wide draws.
That curse followed her to Queensland where she again had to contend with a double-figure alley but the five-year-old’s quality shone through as James Mcdonald brought her with a barnstorming run down the outside to nail Rothfire in the shadows of the post.
“I am just so pleased for Sunshine In Paris. She has been great all prep but she just hasn’t had a great draw and I am so happy that it worked out today,” Rob Archibald said.
“(Owners) John and Deb (Camilleri) for being brave enough and supportive today to run her on a track that probably isn’t her best.
“Annabel back home, I know she would be cheering very loudly. She loves this mare, as does everyone that is involved with her.”
Sunshine In Paris hadn’t placed in two previous heavy track runs but handled the conditions well enough on Saturday to add the Doomben 10,000 (1200m) to her previous Group 1 victories in the 2023 Surround Stakes (1400m) and last year’s Champions Sprint (1200m) at Flemington.
McDonald hadn’t ridden Sunshine In Paris ($3.30 fav) since her Melbourne triumph but had been keeping a close watch on her during the autumn and was thrilled with Saturday’s result.
He also paid tribute to seven-year-old Rothfire ($41), who has endured his share of challenges throughout his career and defied a wide run at Doomben to surge to the front and pinch what McDonald briefly thought might have been a winning break.
“He was as tough as they come,” McDonald said.
“I was worried at the furlong I wasn’t going to get to him but he probably had a little bit tougher run than what we did and my mare kept surging.
“But credit to him. He gave me a hell of a fright.”
Fellow Brisbane-trained gelding Payline ($51) ran the race of his life, finding the line resolutely to grab third.
