Ninja proved himself the class act in Sydney’s first stakes race of the 2026 season, the Group 2 $300,000 Missile Stakes (1200m), outclassing a small but select field.

The Michael Freedman-trained sprinter clocked a blistering race record of 1 minute 08.28 seconds, a time that would have been highly competitive in many renewals of The Everest.

Adding intrigue to his Everest prospects, Ninja is part-owned by John Camilleri, who holds a slot in the lucrative race through his Fairway Thoroughbreds banner.

“Any trainer with a half-decent sprinter dreams of going to The Everest at this time of year and why not!” Freedman commented. “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.”

Under jockey Tommy Berry, Ninja ($5) overcame a wide run to settle outside the leader, Way To The Stars, before launching a decisive finishing burst in the straight to defeat Napoleonic ($9) by just over a length. The favourite, Angel Capital ($2.20), finished third.

Berry, who achieved his third Missile Stakes win, equalling the race riding record, expressed his admiration for the horse’s potential.

“I thought he was very impressive today,” Berry said. “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 the dominant performance, TAB Fixed Odds dramatically shortened Ninja’s price for The TAB Everest (1200m) at Royal Randwick on October 17, moving him from $26 to $15. The current $1.60 favourite is Hong Kong’s Ka Ying Rising.

The Missile Stakes has a proven track record as an Everest launchpad, notably with Alizee in 2019.

Alizee, a multiple Group 1 winner, took out the Missile Stakes as the $1.30 favourite before running seventh in The Everest behind Yes Yes Yes.

Eduardo captured his first stakes victory in nearly two years in the 2020 Missile Stakes and went on to contest three Everests without success. He finished 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, instead winning the Sydney Stakes on Everest day.

She later earned an Everest selection the following year after winning the Concorde Stakes and The Shorts, ultimately finishing unplaced in the world’s richest turf race.

Ninja was noticeably blowing after the Missile Stakes, indicating he has significant improvement left in the tank with over two months until The Everest.

Freedman stated that he would assess Ninja’s recovery before considering a run in the Group 1 $1 million Winx Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick in two weeks, where he would likely face the highly-rated 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 explained. “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 now firmly in the mix, the betting markets for The Everest are sure to be dynamic, offering exciting opportunities for online bookmakers.