Cambridge Stud mare Joliestar made the perfect start in her ascent of next month’s A$20 million The Everest (1200m) when taking out the Gr.2 The Shorts (1100m) at Randwick on Saturday.
From their wide gate, jockey James McDonald was in search of some cover, but remained four-wide at the rear, and continued to race deep throughout. James presented Joliestar five-wide at the turn and she showed her tenacity when reeling in pacemaker Private Harry, alongside Briasa, and got the better of the latter in the concluding stages to win by 1-1/4 lengths.
"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."
Trainer Chris Waller, who announced Joliestar as his The Everest slot representative a week prior, was delighted with her first-up performance.
“We weren’t really going to get caught up in any speed, we said we would come back and make it easy for her to ensure that she was strong in the straight, they would tire, and we would get home late,” Chris Waller said.
“We just couldn’t quite get in behind them, so she sat out wide and did it the tough way and was too good.
“She is a proper horse, it’s as simple as that. She is really top grade. She has come back well, she is just that year more mature.”
Joliestar, who carries the iconic silks of Cambridge Stud principals Brendan and Jo Lindsay, faces a stiff task in next month’s The Everest, where she will be met by the world’s highest rated sprinter, New Zealand-bred Ka Ying Rising.
While he poses as a formidable rival, Waller has every confidence in his mare on home soil.
“Home track advantage is a big thing,” he said. “It is great that David Hayes (trainer) and the owners are bringing Ka Ying Rising out.
“It is going to be an awesome day. It has got the world talking and we have got a worthy contender.”