Royal Randwick will come alive this Saturday as the Surf To Turf Day marks the official kickoff of the 2025 Sydney Everest Carnival.
Headlining the day is the $1 million 7 Stakes, which will boast a stellar lineup where nine of the eleven acceptors have Group 1 victories to their names.
The Group 2 The Shorts will also take centre stage as a crucial lead-up to The Everest.
In edition to these features, are three additional black-type races, ensuring a day packed with top tier competition and excitement.
Below, you’ll find my top selections for each race to guide your betting strategy.
OTONO appeared to peak late when kicking off over 1400m here, and she will have derived added fitness from the run.
A daughter of The Autumn Sun, she laid down a strong marker last campaign, securing three wins from just five starts.
Notably, two of those victories came over the mile, where she showcased her impressive turn of foot, settling back before powering home late to score.
Now with that initial run under her belt, the Kerry Parker trained mare looks perfectly suited stepping out to 1600m.
SOCIAL CIRCLE remains unbeaten after two career starts and she looks very progressive
Raced by the Arrowfield team, the daughter of Maurice burst onto the scene with authority, scoring a commanding four-length victory at Quirindi last February and proved equally as impressive when returning to action at Scone earlier this month.
From the outside barrier, she was sent straight to the front, maintaining a strong cruising speed in the lead. When asked to go at the top of the straight, she responded with a powerful surge, pulling away decisively to score by a similar margin.
Zac Lloyd jumps aboard and from barrier six, he can afford her every chance to maintain her unbeaten record.
GUMDROPS resumes.
The Written Tycoon mare is set to make her race return after three runs in Brisbane last preparation.
Those outings marked her first under Chris Waller’s care, but unfortunately, things didn’t quite click for her.
With some time to regroup, I think she can rediscover her best form.
A talented mare when at her peak, she clinched her first stakes victory in the Listed Crockett Stakes, impressively securing the win at only her third career start.
After a break, she came back firing, capturing the Group 3 Typhoon Tracey Stakes at just her second run back.
Her recent trial at the Gold Coast suggests she’s come back in top order and the 1200m first up looks ideal with Nash Rawiller to steer.
TUILERIES arrives here on the back of a well-earned victory at Warwick Farm, and I think she’ll continue to build on that.
Her previous run on heavy ground saw her struggle to unleash a finishing burst and she got too far back when resuming after a spell.
Although last start’s winning margin was modest, she did it comfortably and it was a commendable effort under the 60kg burden.
Still lightly raced, the So You Think mare has demonstrated genuine ability, though wide barrier draws have often hindered her chances.
Here, she again once draws faces a tricky gate but the 1400m distance plays to her strengths.
If Kerrin McEvoy can settle her just off the pace and find cover early, expect her to deliver a powerful late surge.
There was plenty to admire in VAUBAN’s first up performance, and he is sure to thrive as he stretches out over a longer trip in the 2025 Kingston Town Stakes.
The former European galloper launched his Spring campaign in the Chelmsford, travelling smoothly just off the pace before finishing strongly to claim a solid third.
Now embarking on his second Australian preparation since joining the Waterhouse / Bott stable following last year’s Melbourne Cup, Vauban has settled in effortlessly.
He kicked off this campaign with a commanding first-up victory in the Sky High back in March, followed by a commendable third in the Tancred Stakes.
Tim Clark takes the reins and with a favourable draw, he should secure the ideal position in the run.
TUPAKARA made a stunning return in the Furious Stakes, and she looks well placed to find the winner’s stall in this year’s Tea Rose.
The Trapeze Artist filly settled towards the rear after drawing wide but as she balanced entering the home straight, she unleashed a powerful surge down the outside to finish a close second.
With four placings from seven starts, all at stakes level, she’s proving she’s more than ready to break through.
The step up to 1400m suits, the blinkers go on for the first time and James McDonald stays aboard.
BOSUSTOW returns to the races in the 2025 Bill Ritchie Handicap.
The Blue Point entire has delivered some impressive performances in recent campaigns, and there’s every reason to expect he’ll continue climbing the ranks.
He launched his winter preparation emphatically with a commanding six-length triumph in the Group 3 Ken Russell at the Gold Coast.
Although his second up run was a bit lacklustre, he bounced back with a strong finish in the Stradbroke Handicap, finishing a very commendable fifth despite encountering trouble in the straight.
Coming into this assignment fresh off two solid trials, the 1400m first up distance appears tailor made to suit his strengths.
FANGIRL returns to Sydney following her campaign opener in the Memsie Stakes, where she settled back in the field and closed off nicely to claim fourth.
Considering she never appeared entirely comfortable at Caulfield, it was a very encouraging performance.
She’ll strip fitter for that run and will thrive back at Randwick, a track where she has notched eight of her eleven career wins.
This high-class mare boasts an impressive second-up record, and the step up to a mile is right in her wheelhouse.
With James McDonald to guide her, I think she’ll be hard to beat.
PRIVATE HARRY kicks off his Everest campaign in The Shorts, and I’m confident he’ll maintain his flawless record.
This Harry Angel entire has blazed a trail from maiden winner to Group One star in just a handful of starts, with his ceiling still unknown.
He cemented his status as a top-tier sprinter with a strong victory in The Galaxy before enjoying a well-deserved spell.
His recent trial performances confirm he’s back in peak condition and think he’ll prove too sharp for them over the 1100m.
There was a lot to like about LORD PENMAN’s first up run, and the former Kiwi is sure to have gained significant fitness from the effort.
Making his Australian debut, the son of Contributor was restrained to settle in the second half of the field over the 1200m at Randwick and closed off strongly to finish a close second.
Lightly raced and progressing smoothly through his grades, he boasts an impressive record of four wins and three seconds from only eight starts and looks to have plenty of upside.
Now stretching out to a mile for the first time, the way he finishes his races suggests the extra distance will suit and he gets James McDonald aboard, to guide from the inside barrier.