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The Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald trained Sunshine In Paris came with a driving finish to nail Right To Party right on the line in another terrific James McDonald ride to win the 2024 Champions Sprint at Flemington on Stakes Day.

The first of three elite levels at HQ for the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, there was a terrific field of 12 stars gathered in the Group 1 $3 million Champions Sprint (1200m).

In the end victory went to five-year-old Invader mare Sunshine In Paris who was fit fourth-up and given a perfectly timed ride by the race’s now four-time winning hoop McDonald.

“She was amazing. I was a little bit worried pre-race because she was parading quite quietly. Obviously, we’ve never backed her up before and she’s had the trip, but she was phenomenal,” co-trainer Neasham, celebrating her first Group 1 success in partnership with Archibald, told Channel 9.

“Amazing ride by James. The plan was to try and be a bit closer because the last couple of runs she’s probably, maybe due to the barriers, she’s just ended up too far back.

“But she’s just got such a strong finish. It was just waiting for that gap, but we had the right man on board.”

J Mac may have missed out on a ride in this year’s Melbourne Cup race, but he has more than atoned over the Cup Carnival with the Champions Sprint victory his ninth for the week and counting.

First-up winner of the Group 2 Sheraco Stakes in Sydney, Sunshine In Paris headed south for Saturday’s feature off a number of brave lead-up runs including back-to-back efforts behind the brilliant Bella Nipotina.

“I didn’t know who won. I had the grey horse to my inside, and I would have been a certainty beaten if I didn’t get out. But I had the mare to do it and, geez, I’m rapt,” McDonald said after the win.

She was fifth in the $20 million The Everest (1200m) and then second in last weekend’s $3 million Russell Balding Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill.

Bella Nipotina chasing the hat-trick went around favourite in the Champions Sprint but her Flemington hoodoo continued with the mighty performer brave in third.

Bella was in front at the clock tower but they came for her late and she had to settle for the final placing in this year’s Champions Sprint trifecta.

“She’s a phenomenal racehorse and what we’ve asked her to do, you can see how she’s so competitive again today. What a great and amazing mare and looking forward to when she comes back,” jockey Craig Williams said after riding Bella Nipotina to third.

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