Ninja proved superior to a small yet select field in Sydney’s first stakes event of the new season, the Group 2 $300,000 Missile Stakes over 1200 metres.
The Michael Freedman-trained galloper set a new race record of 1 minute 08.28 seconds, a time that would have been a winning one in many editions of The Everest.
It’s also worth noting that Ninja is partly owned by John Camilleri, who holds an Everest slot via his Fairway Thoroughbreds ownership.
“Any trainer with a half-decent sprinter dreams of going to The Everest at this time of year and why not!” Freedman declared. “He seems to have come back in great order and his form has been so consistent. If he continues to take the next step then we have got to dream big.”
Ninja ($5), under the guidance of star jockey Tommy Berry, had to work in the initial stages to settle behind the leader, Way To The Stars. He then produced a strong acceleration in the straight to win by just over a length from Napoleonic ($9), with the favourite Angel Capital ($2.20) running on for third.
Berry, who now shares the Missile Stakes riding record with three wins, conveyed his positive assessment of Ninja’s ability and ongoing improvement.
“I thought he was very impressive today,” Berry commented. “I was trying to get cover early but it didn’t quite work out so I sat on him, waited until the speed came out of it and I was able to get across. He relaxed really well, he came back under me, and he was travelling coming up the rise. He’s very talented and he’s in for a good preparation.”
Following his impressive victory, TAB Fixed Odds significantly reduced Ninja’s price for the Group 1 $20 million The TAB Everest (1200m) at Royal Randwick on October 17, shortening from $26 to $15. The current market leader is Hong Kong’s Ka Ying Rising at $1.60.
The Missile Stakes has a history of being a launching pad for Everest campaigns, including Alizee in 2019.
Alizee, who had won multiple Group 1 races, won the Missile Stakes at $1.30 before finishing seventh in The Everest behind Yes Yes Yes.
Eduardo achieved his first stakes victory in almost two years in the 2020 Missile Stakes and subsequently competed in three Everests, finishing unplaced in each. He ran third to Nature Strip in 2021.
I Am Me, raced by Dean Watt’s Dynamic Syndications, won the Missile Stakes in 2023 but missed an Everest start that spring. She instead won the Sydney Stakes on Everest day, defeating Airman and Bella Nipotina.
However, I Am Me secured an Everest berth the following year after wins in the Concorde Stakes and The Shorts, ultimately finishing unplaced in the world’s richest turf race.
Ninja was noticeably blowing post-race after the Missile Stakes, indicating he has considerable room for improvement with more than two months remaining until The Everest.
Freedman intends to monitor Ninja’s recovery from his first-up win before considering a start in the Group 1 $1 million Winx Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick in two weeks, where he could face champion mare Autumn Glow.
“He is having a decent blow after the race but he had to do it a bit harder than what we were anticipating,” Freedman confirmed. “But to his credit he is a very exciting horse. I told John (Camilleri) early in the week that this horse is going really well. He wasn’t screwed right down for today but he looks to have a good spring ahead. In the back of my mind, depending on how he goes in this race and more importantly how he pulls up, I’ve been thinking of going to the Winx Stakes. I think we can pick our way a little bit now, there’s also a couple of nice races in Melbourne, too.”
With Ninja’s Everest prospects on the rise, punters are exploring the latest racing betting markets for potential value.
