Australia: Traffic Warden could get right trip in Everest Stakes

Traffic Warden may be the spoiler in the Group 1 Everest Stakes at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia, on Friday evening.

On three occasions in his nine-race career, Traffic Warden has closed with a flourish to win sprints. Twice, he has been beaten by a nose or short head.

With that style, Traffic Warden may be the runner to fear in a wide-open running of the $13.3 million Everest Stakes at six furlongs, the world’s richest sprint.

As of Wednesday, the race lacked a clear favorite. I Wish I Win and Joliestar were 5-1 co-favorites in early betting, closely followed by Growing Empire and Traffic Warden at 6-1 and Bella Nipotina at 7-1.

The prices reflect the absence of a dominant runner in Australia’s sprint division in recent months, but leave bettors with intriguing options.

Traffic Warden is one of four Southern Hemisphere 3-year-olds in a field of 12. There are four horses on the also-eligible list, including 2023 Everest winner Think About It.

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Traffic Warden is trained by James Cummings for Godolphin Racing. A colt by Street Boss, Traffic Warden finished a short head behind stablemate Broadsiding in the Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs at Rosehill Gardens in Sydney on Sept. 28. Broadsiding was recently named Australia’s champion 2-year-old for the 2023-24 season.

Traffic Warden will race against older horses for the first time in the Everest and will be ridden by Jamie Kah, who has been aboard for two of the colt’s wins and a nose loss in the Group 1 Sires’ Produce Stakes at seven furlongs in April.

The field for the Everest consists of 12 runners named by the owners of berths, which cost $466,600. Think About It, winless in six starts since the 2023 Everest, was not among the nominated runners when entries were finalized earlier this week.

In addition to being an also-eligible, Think About It is entered in Saturday’s Group 3 Sydney Stakes at six furlongs, which has a purse of $1.33 million.

I Wish I Win was second in the 2023 Everest and was a Group 1 winner in June. He can be a factor from off the pace. Joliestar, a 4-year-old filly, was third by two lengths in the Group 2 Sheraco Stakes for fillies and mares on Sept. 14 at Rosehill Gardens in her last start.

Randwick has a blockbuster 10-race program that begins at 9:30 p.m. Eastern, or 6:30 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

There are three other seven-figure stakes on the program, including the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes, which is run at a mile and has a purse of $3.33 million.

Pride of Jenni, recently named the 2023-24 Australian Horse of the Year, will be about even money to win the King Charles III against 11 rivals. Trained by Ciaron Maher, Pride of Jenni often sets the pace. She led throughout her last start in the Group 2 Feehan Stakes at a mile on Sept. 27 at Moonee Valley Racecourse in Melbourne.

Caulfield Cup

As of Thursday morning, Buckaroo was 25-1 to win the Group 1 Melbourne Cup at Flemington Racecourse in Australia on Nov. 5, the country’s most famous race.

The price could be lower after the Group 1 Caulfield Cup at 1 1/2 miles at Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne on Friday evening.

Buckaroo was the 3-1 favorite in early betting to win the $3.34 million Caulfield Cup, a handicap that is one of Australia’s most prestigious races.

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Trained by Chris Waller, Buckaroo had a two-race winning streak end with a second by about a neck in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on Oct. 5 at Flemington. Buckaroo won the Group 1 Underwood Stakes at 1 1/8 miles at Caulfield on Sept. 21 in his preceding start.

This is Buckaroo’s second start at 1 1/2 miles. In March, he was fifth by slightly more than 1 3/4 lengths in the Group 1 Tancred Stakes at the distance at Rosehill Gardens, closing from last in a field of eight.

In the Caulfied Cup, Buckaroo is part of a full field of 18. The Waller-trained Land Legend, winner of the Group 1 Metropolitan Stakes at 1 1/2 miles at Royal Randwick on Oct. 5, will have no trouble with the distance. Aside from his win in the Metropolitan Stakes, Buckaroo won the St. Leger Stakes at 1 5/8 miles at Randwick last October.

Land Legend was 15-1 in future-book betting for the Melbourne Cup on Thursday. He was 6-1 for the Caulfield Cup.

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