In-form mare Joliestar has been a centre of interest on more than one front heading into Saturday’s A$20 million The Everest (1200m) at Randwick.
The Cambridge Stud representative was handed a perfect gate in four at Tuesday’s barrier draw, with the Chris Waller-trained daughter of Zoustar firming into a $7 third favourite.
Joliestar’s owners Brendan and Jo Lindsay have also been fending off sizeable offers to purchase the mare, but the not for sale sign is firmly in place.
“We’ve fielded some pretty substantial offers, really big money, but we’re continuing to build our broodmare band at Cambridge Stud,” Brendan Lindsay said.
Joliestar will be a gem of an addition as a daughter of the Group 2-winning Fastnet Rock mare Jolie Bay, who is a sister to the Australian and international Group 1 winner and stallion Merchant Navy.
She was offered through the Segenhoe Stud draft at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, where she was knocked down to the Lindsays for A$950,000.
Joliestar will run in Waller’s slot in The Everest, to be afforded Group 1 status for the first time, and her fortunes will be guided by James McDonald.
“She’s got the ideal draw, it really couldn’t have been any better,” Lindsay said.
“We were hoping to obviously get in that first half a-dozen so it’s good.”
The winner of last season’s Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m), Joliestar also claimed the Group 2 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint (1200m) before a break and she returned to triumph in the Group 3 Show County Quality (1200m) in dashing style.
She then finished third in the Group 2 Sheraco Stakes (1200m) and missed the Group 2 Golden Pendant (1400m), in favour of a longer run into The Everest.
“Chris has been very positive about her, and she’s had a freshen-up, it’s been five weeks between runs for her,” Lindsay said.
“It’s pretty obvious she does go better on that side, she won the Arrowfield and the Show Country when fresh.”
Joliestar has experienced Everest hands guiding her with Waller a two-time winner with Yes Yes Yes and Nature Strip, with McDonald riding the latter.
“She’s in great form and she’s got a bit of class about her. It’s a quality field and you need a little bit of luck in the running and hopefully the draw gives us a few more opportunities,” Lindsay said.
Cambridge Stud has enjoyed a sparkling lead-in to The Everest with their colours carried to victory by Snazzytavi in last weekend’s Group 1 Livamol Classic (2040m) and Luberon in the Group 3 Sweynesse Stakes (1215m), while farm graduate El Castello won the Group 3 Gloaming Stakes (1800m).
“That was just an awesome weekend for us, there’s a real buzz here as well because they publicise The Everest so well, it’s exciting times,” Lindsay said.
Plans for Joliestar after The Everest have yet to be considered and will be discussed after the dust settles on her performance.
“I don’t know for sure what we’ll do, we’ll make those decisions with Chris afterwards,” Lindsay said.
“She could go to Melbourne for the Champions Sprint (Group 1, 1200m), there’s the Golden Eagle (1500m) or she could go out, we’ll aim for the one in front of us first and then see what happens.”
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