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Two of the already confirmed slot holders for the world’s richest turf race have run one-two in The Shorts 2025 results with Joliestar making a lovely return to racing to beat Briasa home by over a length in the key lead-up at Randwick on Saturday and put a smile on trainer Chris Waller‘s face.
The Group 2 $1 million The Shorts (1100m) field featured three horses locked in for the $20 million The Everest (1200m) back at the track on October 18 including the previously undefeated Private Harry who was hot favourite to win.
He was disappointing however easing out from $7 to $15 in futures The Everest betting at Ladbrokes.com.au after running over 4.5 lengths back fifth to the Waller trained queen Joliestar.
“I’ve got a big smile for so many reasons,” Waller said post-win.
“It’s a good starting point, it’s a great race.
“This race is getting bigger and bigger every year. It’ll be a Group 1 in no time once the ratings go up. What’s the rules? Five years, it’ll be a Group 1.”
The now five-year-old daughter of Zoustar made her delayed return in the event after being withdrawn from the Sheraco Stakes in a tactical move by the stable that paid a healthy reward.
She was enormous first-up with James McDonald aboard the three-time Group 1 winner who was racing for the first time since her Kingsford-Smith Cup triumph in Brisbane over the winter.
“I only had one objective. It was just to get her in a smooth rhythm. I didn’t want a stop-start affair,” McDonald said.
“She slid around, albeit deep, but what I was thinking was that Briasa was the one to beat and he was just inside me.
“He 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, so she can do that.
“That was thrilling because she deserves a spot in The Everest. I think she’ll make her presence felt.”
Mazu was the front-runner swinging for home with a good lead in The Shorts before Joliestar, who had raced wide throughout, stormed home down the outside.
She was quick to challenge the grey TJ Smith Stakes champion Briasa, who hit the lead up the middle with 200m left to travel, proving her class to cover all the ground and go past her rival and win by 1.16 lengths.
“We haven’t asked her (to do a lot) to be truthful, but I can see a more mature horse now,” Waller added.
“I’ve seen the horse trial well, and I’ve just got an all-around more confident horse, so we were confident.
“But we knew from the draw was going to be tricky, so our plan was just to come back, find some cover.
“We didn’t get the cover, but we didn’t need it.”
Adding value to The Shorts trifecta a further length off the top two in third was the fellow Waller trained outside Generosity ($19) who improved notably on her first-up ninth in the Group 3 Concorde Stakes (1000m).
“She ran out of her skin. Very pleased with her,” Generosity’s jockey Tim Clark said.
The question is now whether the star, local mare will be able to put up a challenge to Hong Kong hero Ka Ying Rising who is odds-on to travel down under and show-up the Aussie sprinters in this year’s The Everest.
“Just check Sunday’s paper after The Everest,” was Waller’s cheeky reply when asked whether Joliestar could beat Ka Ying Rising.
“We’ve got a great horse, it’s a great race, it’s got the world talking.
“That’s mainly why she didn’t run last week. If we were going five weeks, I would have thought, yeah, she probably needs another run.
“But today, four weeks, a trial and she’ll be ready to go.”
The Shorts 2025 Results
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1st
4. Joliestar (8)
J: James McDonald 56kg
T: Chris Waller |
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2nd
1. Briasa (4)
J: Tyler Schiller 58kg
T: M, W & J Hawkes |
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3rd
10. Generosity (2)
J: Tim Clark 53kg
T: Chris Waller |
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4th
5. Mazu (9)
J: Jason Collett 56kg
T: Joseph Pride |
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5th
2. Private Harry (5)
J: Ashley Morgan 58kg
T: Nathan Doyle |
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6th
6. Ostraka (7)
J: Chad Schofield 56kg
T: Annabel & Rob Archibald |
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7th
7. Dragonstone (1)
J: Braith Nock 55kg
T: Joseph Pride |
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8th
3. Jedibeel (6)
J: Kerrin McEvoy 57kg
T: Brad Widdup |
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9th
8. Compelling Truth (3)
J: Bailey Wheeler 55kg
T: Mack Griffith |
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