The market sided with an entire and a gelding in the Group 2 Shorts at Royal Randwick, but it was a mare that proved too strong in the $1 million contest.
The Chris Waller-conditioned Joliestar ($4.80) showed she is on the right track for The Everest in four week’s time with an arrogant victory over Briasa ($3.10) by 1-1/4 lengths with stablemate to the winner Generosity ($19) a further length back in third.
Race favourite Private Harry ($2.15) was a touch disappointing on face value and finished 4-1/2 lengths off the winner in fifth position with jockey Ash Morgan telling stewards he felt flat late.
“I was under pressure a long way from home, I was flat from about the 350m,” Morgan said.
Although burdened with a wide trip throughout the 1100m contest, jockey James McDonald always had a plan as to what he would do from the wide draw with his mount.
“I only had one objective and that was to get her into a smooth rhythm, I didn’t want a stop-start affair,” McDonald said.
“She slid around, albeit deep, but how I was thinking was Briasa was the one to beat and he was just inside me.
“It wasn’t like he was on the fence and I was four wide. He was not far off me and she was game as anything.
“She’s a solid horse that runs seven furlongs, that was thrilling and she deserves a spot in The Everest.
“I think she will make her presence felt.”
Waller was looking forward to the $20 million feature and believed he had mapped out the right plan of attack.
“That’s mainly why she didn’t run last week,” Waller said.
“If we were going five weeks, I would have thought yeah she needs another run.
“But today, four weeks, a trial and she’ll be ready to go.”
Joliestar sits on the second line of betting for The Everest at $7 with Hong Kong superstar Ka Ying Rising currently odds-on.