This time last year Bella Nipotina won the $1.5million Group I BRC Doomben 10,000 (1200m) before going on to claim victory in The Everest and it will be no surprise to see this year’s winner Sunshine in Paris also attempt the same feat.
Trained by Annabel and Rob Archibald, Sunshine in Paris is a top class mare that never runs a bad race in the big ones, but a string of poor barriers has made her life harder than it needed to be during the autumn.
Again drawn out wide for this assignment, she had blinkers on for the first time and James McDonald to ride with those two positives all she needed to get back in the frame.
Sunshine in Paris settled back and let down with a well timed run to just grab Queensland’s favourite son Rothfire to win by a long head with the Chris and Corey Munce trained bolter Payline a close third capping a great day for that stable.
"I am just so pleased for Sunshine In Paris. She has been great all prep but she just hasn't had a great draw and I am so happy that it worked out today," Rob Archibald said.
"John and Deb (Camilleri, who own her) for being brave enough and supportive today to run her on a track that probably isn't her best.
"Annabel back home, I know she would be cheering very loudly. She loves this mare, as does everyone that is involved with her."
Sunshine Paris has now won three G1 races and James McDonald has ridden her in two of them!
Sunshine in Paris sold for $3.9million at the 2023 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale to James Harron Bloodstock on behalf of John Camilleri’s Fairway Thoroughbreds and at the same sale her dam Zenaida sold for $1.4million and her older three-quarter sister Macroura sold for $1.5million, both of them going to Yulong.
Zenaida produced a filly by Alabama Express last year and then went back to him again, while Macroura missed to Pierata and then went back to him again.
Yulong sold a yearling colt by Maurice (Jpn) from Zenaida at Inglis Easter this year for $400,000 to D Springfield / Kearney Racing and a filly by Deep Field from Macroura for $550,000 to Kia Ora Stud.
Sunshine in Paris was bred by Aquis and sold initially as an unraced two year-old filly in the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale in 2022 for $90,000 and has the overall record of seven wins from 17 starts with prizemoney topping $6million.
Sunshine in Paris is the best performer to date for Snitzel stallion Invader, who was not on the Aquis roster for 2025 and covered just 18 mares last year.
