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By Ray Hickson

It’s a case of eyes fixed firmly on the TAB Everest with Jimmysstar but the Ciaron Maher stable is wary there’s $580,000 to be won along the way in Saturday’s Group 2 $1m Precise Air Premiere Stakes (1200m) at Randwick.

Johann Gerard-Dubord (Pic: Bradley Photos).

Assistant trainer Johann Gerard-Dubord said the gelding’s preparation for the TAB Everest is very much on target and he expects Jimmysstar will show that in his second-up run.

Just like a year ago when eventual Everest winner Bella Nipotina was beaten less than half a length in the Premiere, it’s a small field and tactics will come into play.

“For some of them it’s almost the grand final but for us it’s two weeks away,’’ Gerard-Dubord said.

“It’s not too dissimilar to last year with Bella. He’s there to run well, he will run well, and if he wins on Saturday we’ll have an exciting couple of weeks ahead because there’s still more to come.”

Jimmysstar resumed a month ago with a trademark fast-finishing effort from the back to run fifth behind Headwall in the Concorde Stakes over the 1000m.

In the interim he’s been back to the trials and Gerard-Dubord said the intent shown in that gallop, both out of the gates and in winning, was very deliberate and could even be put into play in the Premiere.

He’s drawn the outside in the seven horse Premiere field and he said that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll just land out the back.

“Ciaron was keen to get him out of the gates, he’s got into a habit of flopping out of the gates and you want to have the option,’’ he said.

“We gave him a good trial, made him jump and just did a bit late. There was quite a bit left and he had his ears pricked for most of the straight.

“It’s not a big field, ideally we won’t be as negative early but it depends on how he jumps and obviously what happens early in the race. We’re hoping he will be able to slot in there somewhere.”

The six-year-old, who has the TAB slot, was $3.20 with TAB on Friday and $15 in the TAB Everest.

The vibe around New Zealand Derby winner Willydoit is particularly positive and Gerard-Dubord said it won’t surprise if he’s a major player at the finish of the Group 1 $1.5m TAB Epsom (1600m).

In his first start for the Maher stable, the gelding ran eighth behind Pericles in the Tramway Stakes where at the 1400m trip from a wide gate there was little choice but to be negative and look for him to run on.

He did that clocking easily the fastest last 600m of the race in 33.88 (Punter's Intelligence).

“Even though we know he has plenty of talent we didn’t know how he would measure up,’’ he said.

“We had to go back and we just wanted to see him run well.

“We didn’t expect him to run as well as he did because they didn’t go quick, he got a long way back and 1400m is as short as he wants.

“Straight after that the Epsom was the target. Four weeks between runs, up to a mile, we thought it was ideal and when the draw came out it gave us more confidence.”

Willydoit has a switch to barrier two in the Epsom and Gerard-Dubord said that will give Tommy Berry a lot more options than first-up.

“From that gate he can be there in the first half somewhere,’’ he said.

“He’s an exciting horse, he’s still very raw and there’s so much more to come with him. He’s definitely a winning chance.”

Jimmysstar wins a Rosehill trial on September 23

Johann Gerard-Dubord on Piggyback (race 9): “She had the right run last week, she travelled like she was just cruising at the 400m. The deeper into the prep the stronger she has been. The barrier isn’t ideal but she is full of confidence.”

On Glory Daze (race 9): “We know what we get with him. He’ll put himself there, he tries hard, he loves Randwick and he has a good gate. We’d be more confident with some rain around but he has no weight and he’s racing well on good tracks.”

On Royal Supremacy (race 9): “He’s taken a couple of runs before he brought his European form here. I think he’s still not the finished article but he’s improving every start, he’s had a run over the trip and he’s probably the one I’m most excited about.”

On Wyclif (race 9): “He’s going as good as he was last year, he’s taken some time to get his form back. A bit of give would have helped him a bit more but last start was the best run of his prep. He can run well.”

On Juja Kibo (race 9): “There weren’t any excuses last Saturday but he has some good upside, he’s fit and well. He has a run in the race so we will give him his chance.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Epsom meeting at Randwick