Australia: Group 1 preps run for Everest, Melbourne Cup

As of Wednesday morning, I Am Me, Lady of Camelot, and Private Eye were all low double-digit odds in the future book for the $13.6 million Everest Stakes at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia, on Oct. 12.

Those prices are likely to change after Friday’s Group 2 The Short Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs at Randwick. The Shorts Stakes, worth $681,800, is a key prep for the Everest Stakes, the world’s richest sprint.

The mare I Am Me is considered a standout for The Shorts, and was 8-5 in early betting on Thursday. Lady of Camelot, who may set the pace, and Private Eye were 6-1.

I Am Me, a 6-year-old mare, has won 10 of 22 starts, the most recent of which was the Group 3 Concorde Stakes at five furlongs at Randwick on Sept. 7, when she closed from fifth to reach the front late. The win ended a five-race losing streak since the Group 3 Sydney Stakes at Randwick last October, a six-furlong race worth approximately $1.3 million.

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Private Eye was second in the 2022 Everest and third in last year’s running. He was fourth by 2 2/3 lengths behind I Am Me in the Concorde, closing from eighth of 12.

Lady of Camelot is a fascinating prospect, an early year Southern Hemisphere 3-year-old filly facing older runners for the second time. Lady of Camelot was third by three-quarters of a length in the Group 1 Moir Stakes at five furlongs at Moonee Valley on Sept. 7 in her debut against older horses and first start since April.

Last March, Lady of Camelot won the world’s richest race for 2-year-olds – the Group 1 Golden Slipper at seven furlongs at Rosehill Gardens, which was worth $3.28 million. She has won from the lead and as a stalker in her brief career, which includes two wins in six starts.

The Shorts Stakes is part of a 10-race program that begins at 9:50 p.m. Eastern or 6:50 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

At Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne on Friday evening, Pericles and Place Du Carrousel lead a field of 13 in the Group 1 Underwood Stakes at 1 1/8 miles.

Pericles won the So You Think Stakes at 7 1/2 furlongs at Moonee Valley on Sept. 7 as the 9-10 favorite. Earlier this year, Pericles was second by three-quarters of a length in the Group 1 Doncaster Mile at Randwick, which had a purse of $2.61 million.

Place Du Carrousel won the Group 1 Prix Foy at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris in September 2023 and was 12th in the Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe there last October.

Place Du Carrousel was moved to Australia last winter. A 6-year-old Irish-bred mare, she had mixed results in her first two starts in the country, both in Group 1 races at 1 1/4 miles, finishing second in the Ranvet Stakes last March, but only seventh of nine in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes a month later.

Place Du Carrousel has been nominated for the Group 1 Melbourne Cup at two miles at Flemington Racecourse on Nov. 5 and currently has a sufficient handicap rating to be in the top 24 candidates along with 2024 group stakes winners Buckaroo and Fawkner Park, who are also in the $511,300 Underwood.

The $5.83 million Melbourne Cup will be limited to 24 starters.

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