Airman upsets the odds to win Premiere Stakes against top competition

Hawkes Racing’s Airman upset Giga Kick, Bella Nipotina, and Think About It to win the Group 2 Premiere Stakes (1200m) at Randwick Racecourse on Saturday. The five-year-old gelding was not highly favoured by the bookies, but he nonetheless scalped off some of Australia’s other top racers.

After upsetting the odds in the $1 million Premiere Stakes, there is now talk about Airman potentially getting a chance to scalp some big names again at The Everest later this month.

Surging inside run secures win

The betting sites gave Airman $41 chances to win the Premiere Stakes on Saturday. Only Joe Pride’s Coal Crusher ($51) and the Danny Williams-trained Bandi’s Boy ($101) had longer odds.

Simply put, the punters did not have faith in Airman. However, he proved them wrong.

The five-year-old gelding was in a distant third place coming around the final turn. An impressive sprint down the final stretch secured him a first place finish though.

The Hawkes Racing-trained horse surged down the inside channel, closing the gap between himself, Mazu, and Coal Crusher in first. Airman then took the lead and never looked back, narrowly holding off late runs from Mazu and Bella Nipotina.

Airman finished the race in first, just a nose ahead of Mazu ($9) in second and half a length in front of Bella Nipotina ($2.50) in third.

Talk of Airman for Everest

After the massive win, the Hawkes Racing team are starting to think about The Everest. It’s too early to say whether he will get a slot, but given that he just beat some of the biggest Everest contenders, anything is possible.

Bell Nipotina, who finished third on Saturday, is currently second favourite on The Everest betting odds list with $6 chances to win.

Giga Kick, the fourth-place horse in the Premiere Stakes, is also near the top of the bookmakers list with $13 odds. Think About it is close behind Giga Kick at $15.

Speaking on Airman’s Everest chances, Hawkes Racing co-trainer Michael Hawkes said he is more than open to entering his star gelding in the $20 million race.

“Talk to us. We’ve got no problems in talking to anybody,” Hawkes said, “He’s up there with them. He’s proven he can do it. Why not?”

Airman is currently listed at $51 to win The Everest.

Disappointing day for star sprinters

As impressive as Airman’s win was, much of the talk after the Premiere Stakes was about how Giga Kick ($2.40), Bella Nipotina ($2.50), and Think About It ($4.40) disappointed in the $1 million race.

Bella Nipotina was the only one of three favourites to show. Giga Kick finished fourth, Think About It finished behind the pack in sixth.

Joe Pride, Think About It’s trainer, called the race an “absolute trainwreck” for his Kingsford Smith Cup-winning horse.