Baker confident Stefi Magnetica can continue rapid rise in Everest

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Big day of racing set to be tinged by controversy, owing to Australia’s rumbling black type debacle

Bjorn Baker is confident Stefi Magnetica (All Too Hard) has done all she can to continue her stunning trajectory in striving to go from $140,000 yearling to $20 million race winner in a females-heavy The Everest (Gr 1, 1200m).

The lucrative slot race has drawn perhaps its strongest and most open field since its 2017 inception – a 12-horse contingent for its first edition as a Group 1 with, fittingly, its largest-yet number of six females.

But the day is set to still be tinged by controversy, owing to Australia’s rumbling black type debacle.

Three other races on the card, among 12 in NSW in total, have been listed as upgraded at lower black type levels by Racing NSW in machinations at Racing Australia (RA) – the Silver Eagle (1300m) and St Leger (2600m) entering black type as Group 3s, and the Reginald Allen Quality (Listed, 1400m) promoted from Listed to Group 3.

The Asian Pattern Committee (APC) has approved Group 1 status for The Everest and Victoria’s All Star Mile (Gr 1, 1600m). ANZ Bloodstock News understands it has also approved top-tier grading for the $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m), to be held at Rosehill on November 2.

However, ANZ also understands the APC has taken exception to the upgrades of the other 12 NSW races.

The southern hemisphere’s largest pedigree provider, Arion, said on Friday it would not be recognising black type for these 12, including the three on Saturday, unless advised otherwise by international authorities.

“We will be handling them as per the International Cataloguing Standards (ICS) list of Australian black type for 2024-25,” Arion managing director Kyla Johnston told ANZ. “That is, the Reginald Allen is Listed and the Silver Eagle and St Leger are non black type.”

This is in keeping with Arion’s stance to not denote black type for one of the NSW 12 – last Saturday’s Tapp-Craig (1400m), won by Anode (I Am Invincible). RNSW and Racing Australia’s data banks have it categorised as Listed.

RA insists the new upgrades are legitimate, saying it had abided by the APC’s ground rules stating all upgrades below Group 1 could be approved by any country’s racing authority.

In an interview with ANZ, RA chief executive Paul Eriksson cited the APC’s ground rule 3.i, which states:

“Decisions relating to Group 1 races [including the upgrading of races to Group 1] and to races run in countries which are not members of the Committee will be taken by the Committee. Other than in exceptional circumstances, decisions relating to all other Pattern and Listed races will be determined, based on the Ground Rules of the Committee, by the Racing Authority of the relevant member country, which will then notify the Committee at the Annual Meeting.”

It may yet be telling to hear whether the APC considers “exceptional circumstances” to include this week’s revelation that a stunning 87 upgrades were planned across the country – with no downgrades announced – until all other states bar NSW put theirs on hold.

What has emerged during the past two weeks of the black type shambles is that much confusion exists in the wider thoroughbred community over the correct process to be followed for black type approvals.

It does appear clear, however, that all Australian black type upgrades must – eventually – be ratified by the APC, the Society of International Thoroughbred Auctioneers (SITA) and the powerful International Grading and Race Planning Advisory Committee (IRPAC).

Amid the chaos, Arion appears likely to wait until the ICS updates its Australian list.

Eriksson said RA had yet to submit a list of the NSW 12 to the APC, and that this was within the ground rules.

“Group 2, Group 3 and Listed races are left to the national bodies and the national body advises the APC on an annual basis of those changes,” Eriksson said.

Asked if IRPAC and SITA needed to finally approve the upgrades, Eriksson said: “That’s true, I believe, they need to be advised.”

But RA, and RNSW, will proceed with Saturday’s changes in the firm belief that RA can decide on lower-level upgrades, with notification to international authorities expected to come later.

“We go through the process where we will advise the APC first,” Eriksson said.

He confirmed the APC had not yet been advised and said: “No, because we’ve got a lot of other ups and downs that will be coming through, and we will assemble it all together.

“And we’re not required to advise them except on an annual basis of Group 2s and Group 3 and Listed. That’s what the guidelines say.

“Whether the (APC) board wants us to advise piecemeal or whether the board wants us to advise in one block, we’ve not got a decision on. But right now, as far as we see, we’re abiding by the pattern guidelines.”

Meanwhile, reports on Friday said Thoroughbred Racehorse Owners’ Association chair Jonathan Munz had, at a heated meeting between stakeholders and Racing Victoria on Monday, tabled a proposal from breeders to establish an independent national body to scrutinise changes to the status of Australian feature races: AKA, a system much like the pattern committee which existed successful for nearly 50 years.

While consternation over the NSW dozen remains, The Everest will be run as an undisputed Group 1, with that required approval from the APC having arrived only on Wednesday.

And while some mare owners have preferred in past years to bypass The Everest to chase black type, perhaps thanks to whispers of the race’s imminent Group 1 status it has this year attracted its largest yet contingent of females, out to add value to their page.

Five mares will line up in $7 second-favourite Joliestar (Zoustar), Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai), I Am Me (I Am Invincible), Sunshine In Paris (Invader) and Stefi Magnetica, a $13 shot. There’s also one filly in Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Lady Of Camelot (Written Tycoon).

Three colts will also strive to boost their stud value in $12 shot Growing Empire (Written Tycoon), $8.40 chance Traffic Warden (Street Boss) and Storm Boy (Justify), at around $10.30.

With ten of the 12 runners at odds $16 or shorter, I Wish I Win (Savabeel) headed markets on Friday at around $5.30. Two other geldings round out the field in 2022 winner Giga Kick (Scissor Kick), a $16 chance, and Private Eye (Al Maher) at $25.

The Everest has averaged only 2.4 females through its seven runnings, peaking with four in its first edition of 2017 and in 2019.

No female has finished better than fifth, but Baker is hopeful the surging Stefi Magnetica can redress that history.

The four-year-old has been on a remarkable run through 2024. After running third in a Rosehill Benchmark 72 (1200m) as recently as February, she’s since finished no worse than fourth in six stakes races, and has become a Group 1 winner, emulating her dam Mid Summer Music (Oamaru Force) with a barnstorming victory in June’s Stradbroke Handicap (Gr 1, 1400m) at Eagle Farm.

She comes in bursting to run after a four-week gap since her eye-catching first-up run in The Shorts (Gr 2, 1100m), when she flew home after working clear late for a 0.2 length second to I Am Me.

“She’s really done a remarkable job this year,” Baker told ANZ Bloodstock News. “She did run in a stakes race as a two-year-old (the Widden Stakes [Gr 3, 1100m]) and ran a good sixth in what was a pretty strong race.

“So I was only hopeful she’d get back to black type and maybe pick off a few softer options. I didn’t envisage her winning the Stradbroke and doing what she’s done, so she’s been a revelation from that point of view.

“And I guess we don’t quite know where the upward trajectory will stop. I still think she’s yet to reach her ceiling, and from that point of view she’s very exciting.

“Hopefully she can really cement herself as a topline sprinter and be around for a while, especially in races like these.”

Baker said Stefi Magnetica’s first-up second was “outstanding”.

“Hopefully she can go to a new level tomorrow [Saturday]. With the four weeks between runs it’s probably ideal,” he said.

“It’s hard to go into a race like this confident – it’s a very even race – but she always puts in 100 per cent and I think she’s ready to put in a big one.

“She had a good gallop on Tuesday that I was really happy with. Zac Lloyd has ridden her a fair few times this preparation, and he was delighted with her and very happy with her gait.

From the colts’ brigade, Gai Waterhouse has warned punters not to overlook Storm Boy, despite Coolmore’s multi-million dollar future stallion disappointing when caught late in his past two runs – a 0.8 length third in the Run To The Rose (Gr 2, 1200m), and an 0.68 length fourth in the Golden Rose (Gr 1, 1400m).

“He’s doing very well, he’s a champion colt, and he’ll be hard to beat,” Waterhouse told ANZ, indicating Storm Boy’s best trip was The Everest distance.

“I always thought he’d stay further, but we know he can be very decisive and effective over 1200.

“People are quick to write off horses, but I thought his last run was acceptable. The Everest is going to be a different type of race, he’s on his home track, and there’s a lot of pluses.”

I Wish I Win’s co-trainer Katherine Coleman reported the six-year-old was in peak order following his fast-finishing second-up third in Moonee Valley’s Manikato Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m). With barrier nine, Coleman said the gelding should at least have better luck than in his narrow second in last year’s edition, when blocked in the straight from gate one.

“He’s super. We couldn’t be happier with him. He travelled up on Wednesday night and arrived in good order,” said Coleman.

“We were thrilled with the Manikato. We knew it was going to map ugly for him, he was going to be out the back and would have to do the most work. The way he hit the line was really encouraging as a prep run for tomorrow.

“We don’t want to be trapped wide, but at least barrier nine gives us the chance to hopefully not be dictated to by other jockeys like we were last year from barrier one.”

Trainer Chris Waller appeared confident over four-year-old Joliestar, despite a disappointing second-up third in the Sheraco Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) following an impressive win when resuming in the Show County Quality (Gr 3, 1200m).

“She has barrier four for James McDonald, that’s a pretty good push to say she’s a pretty good chance,” Waller said on social media, adding the mare’s trackwork rider had reported she felt like she did before the Show County.

“That’s enough for me.”