Everything went right for favourite She Will Reign yesterday as she counts down to the inaugural running of The Everest over 1200m at Randwick on Saturday.
The race will break new ground when 12 runners line up for a slice of $A10 million ($NZ11 million) in prize money in the richest turf race ever contested anywhere in the world.
She Will Reign, last season's Golden Slipper winner, gave her Everest hopes a huge boost with a dazzling come-from-behind win in the Moir Stakes at Mooney Valley late last month.
The Gary Portelli-trained filly's hopes were further enhanced yesterday when she worked brilliantly before landing the perfect starting spot of barrier 2.
''We are pretty happy with the way our filly worked this morning in particluar,'' Portelli said at yesterday's barrier draw.
''She has been set for this one race and we were lucky enough to be invited to race in the race ... we were able to have a long-range preparation and there was no pressure on us to have her qualify. We have had a fantastic preparation and we just can't beleive the way she won [at Moonee Valley].''
''These good horses they do things that the average horse can't do and she has bounced back really quickly and her work this morning was a exactly what we wanted to see.''
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained English was not as fortunate drawing barrier 12 and the David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig-trained Vega Magic is also poorly off in barrier 11.
Vega Magic, a former West Australian, has raced close to the speed in all of his runs in the eastern states, but will have to work overtime to get near the pace on Saturday.
Despite the tricky draw, rising Victorian star Vega Magic held third favouritism for the race at $6.50 behind Chautauqua at $6 and She Will Reign at $4.60.
Although his racing pattern sees him race well back in the field Chautauqua's barrier 5 draw is being seen as a win by his connections.
The sprinter, who worked well yesterday, has returned with two warm-up runs for Saturday's race in which he has finished out of the placings.
''His two runs have been really good. Although he hasn't won he has been thereabouts and his times and his sectionals are saying that he is still on song,'' co-trainer Michael Hawkes said.
