Briasa drawn to give The Shorts a shake

Briasa will step out first-up in the Group 2 The Shorts (1100m) at Randwick on Saturday, with jockey Tyler Schiller buoyed by a favourable draw inside race favourite Private Harry.

The T J Smith Stakes hero will jump from gate four, one inside Private Harry, and Schiller says the barrier offers tactical flexibility compared to previous wide draws.

“I was happy when I saw the barrier draw because it gives us more of a chance to come out and be nice to him rather than force him somewhere from a bad draw, like in the Galaxy when he had to go back and set himself too big a task,” Schiller said.

“He gets a good draw and he’s jumping well. He should put himself in the race and if he’s got the coat tails of Private Harry, he’s going to go a long way.”

Already confirmed for an Everest berth, Briasa has trialled sharply twice leading into his return. His record first-up is strong, with the exception of The Galaxy where he flew home for fourth from the back.

Schiller has been aboard for seven starts and four wins and believes Briasa can measure up against Everest-bound rivals.

“It’s a very hot race,” Schiller said. “You’ve got Private Harry, Joliestar and Briasa that are all going to The Everest so it’s like a mini Everest without all of the favoured runners being there.”

The Shorts will also see the return of Golden Slipper winner Marhoona and sprinter Jedibeel in a field of 10. Historically, the race has proven a strong formline, with Redzel (2017) and Classique Legend (2020) winning both The Shorts and The Everest.

Bettors eager to support Briasa or his rivals in The Shorts can find markets with Australia’s top betting sites.