Ciaron Maher will again look to replicate the strategy that produced Bella Nipotina’s stunning Everest triumph, this time with his talented sprinter Jimmysstar. The All Aged Stakes winner resumes in the Group 3 Concorde Stakes (1000m) at Randwick on Saturday, marking his first career attempt at the short trip.

While the six-year-old has never raced below 1200m, Maher is convinced the Concorde is the right launching pad for a campaign geared towards The Everest. “Originally I was going to have a look at The Shorts and then in (to the Everest). But the way he has come up, it just works, I feel,” Maher said. “It’s a similar path to what I took with the mare last year. I don’t think he has been over the 1000 but it just works timing-wise.”

Maher used the same formula with Bella Nipotina in 2024, when she ran second in the Concorde, then placed in the Premiere Stakes (1200m) before her unforgettable Everest win. He hopes Jimmysstar can thrive following a comparable program, with the gelding already guaranteed a start in the $20 million showpiece after being selected for the TAB’s slot.

That certainty allows Maher to focus on the long game. “No pressure, as long as he’s hitting the line,” he said. “If there are a few speedsters in there, which there are, I’m not overly concerned. It’s more about getting him going and then the 1200 should be more to his liking and then he can freshen up into it (Everest).”

This year’s Concorde has again lured several hopefuls eyeing an Everest berth, including Lady Shenandoah, Jedibeel and Headwall. The other three runners confirmed alongside Jimmysstar – Hong Kong star Ka Ying Rising, Briasa and Private Harry – are yet to step out for the season.