The race took less than 57 seconds to complete but that was all the time needed for Headwall and Lady Shenandoah to show why they deserve to be in the $20m The TAB Everest field.
Headwall held off the late surge of Lady Shenandoah to win an enthralling Group 3 $1m Concorde Stakes (1000m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Both sprinters are proven topliners who went so well in their comeback runs that they should be commanding a place among the elite 12 sprinters for The Everest next month.
• PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet’s team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW!
But Matthew Smith, trainer of Headwall, revealed he hasn’t received a single phone call from an interested Everest slot-holder.
Surely, that is about to change.
“No, we haven’t actually,” Smith replied when asked if he had received any contact from Everest slot-holders.
“Hopefully someone will give us a call. You never know. It’s a hard race to get into and everybody wants to be in there.
“It’s about timing and the timing is good for this horse. He’s got the credentials so fingers crossed we can get a slot.”
Lady Shenandoah is trained by Chris Waller and his stable holds a vacant Everest slot.
But Waller also has Joliestar on an Everest path and more will be known about their plans when that mare returns to racing in the Sheraco Stakes at Rosehill next Saturday.
It is expected both Lady Shenandoah and Joliestar will line up for the world’s richest turf race at Royal Randwick on October 18.
They deserve to be there.
Headwall ($4.20), ridden by Zac Lloyd, unleashed a powerful finish from back in the field to win the Concorde by a short head.
A statement win from Headwall in the G3 Concorde Stakes for @mcsmithracing and @ZacLloydx! 🤩@aus_turf_clubpic.twitter.com/5rhgKIsoHJ
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) September 6, 2025
• Nash stays loyal as Lindermann bounces back in Chelmsford
Taking nothing away from the winner, there’s no denying Lady Shenandoah ($2.60 favourite) was unlucky. She was held up for a run for most of the straight until jockey James McDonald got her out to the centre of the track and she charged after Headwall to just miss.
“You have got to be pretty happy with that apart from not winning,” McDonald said.
“She was gallant in defeat.”
Ostraka ($31) was a half length away in third placing just ahead of Tiger Shark ($51) who ran the race of her life while Everest contender Jimmysstar was working to the line to finish fifth.
Headwall is dynamic fresh and excels at 1000m but he also showed last autumn that he is up to the best sprinters in training.
He ran second to Joliestar in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap, finished third to Briasa and Overpass in the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes, and second in The Quokka to Joker’s Grin.
But it is his first-up Concorde Stakes win in 56.80s with a closing 600m sectional of 32.55sec which makes a compelling case for Everest inclusion
The Concorde has proven a reliable Everest guide with Redzel winning both races in 2017 and 2018, and Nature Strip in 2021.
Bella Nipotina ran third in the Concorde last year before winning The Everest.
“Hopefully someone gives us a call” 😉
Matt Smith a relieved man after Headwall’s win in the Concorde! Everest here he comes 🗻 💪 pic.twitter.com/M93wlDcGBa
— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) September 6, 2025
• Maiden filly makes stunning return in Furious Stakes
Smith said he is likely to start Headwall next in the Group 2 $1m The Shorts (1100m) at Royal Randwick in two weeks.
“If he comes through this run ‘good’ we’ll go to The Shorts then we could easily go a month between The Shorts and The Everest if we get a slot,” Smith said.
“It’s a relief to see him run so well first-up. You just want to see him come back where he left off last time in and just run the way he has been working and trialling.
“He had to make a good, long run today. We wanted to get him into the clear and just let him do his thing and Zac got him out at the right time.
“The horse still weighs in a good bit heavier than when he ran first-up last time in so there’s improvement to come.
“Everything has been good about the prep. We’ve had a really trouble-free run into today’s race and I just wanted to see him come out and do that.”
Lloyd said he was aware Lady Shenandoah was in trouble getting out at the 400m and felt at that point it was Headwall’s race to lose.
“When I straightened up, I could see Lady Shenandoah bottled up to my inside and I could see everything in front of me and I thought they’re no chance,” Lloyd said.
HORSE OF THE YEAR, KA YING RISING! 👑
🥇 x8
🏆 x4 Group 1s
🏆 x3 Group 2s
🤑 HK$57.5 million (season stakes)#ChampionAwards | #HKracingpic.twitter.com/r8F4L4zkC0
— HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) July 11, 2025
• Lees stayer excites to end three-year win drought
“She (Lady Shenandoah) must have done very well to get near me because I felt like I quickened so well.
“He gave me the world of confidence the way he’d been trialling and he’s a 1000m specialist but he’s just come back so much bigger, so much stronger.
“He can sustain his gallop for 300m now instead of 200m and that’s going to be very vital for him in a couple of weeks time. He’s just a very good horse.”
Lady Shenandoah was timed to run her final 600m in 32.69sec despite being held up at a vital stage of the straight. Her brilliant final 200m split of 11.06sec (Headwall went 11.16s) was the fastest closing sectional of the day.
Jimmysstar, who is already in The Everest after being snapped up by slot-holder TAB, carried topweight of 60.5kg and was doing his best work on the line to finish fifth.
The Ciaron Maher-trained Jimmysstar was timed to run his final 600m in 32.46sec with a sectional of 11.11sec.
TAB assessors adjusted The Everest betting after the Concorde with Lady Shenandoah firming from $11 to $8 equal third favouritism and Headwall tightening from $34 to $26.
Hong Kong’s superstar sprinter, Ka Ying Rising, is the $1.80 Everest favourite and he resumes racing at Sha Tin on Sunday.