The world’s richest race on turf, The Everest will headline Sydney’s biggest day of racing this Saturday at Royal Randwick.
With a staggering $20 million prize pool and a lineup of some of Australia’s elite sprinters, as well as Hong Kong visitor Ka Young Rising, this year’s Everest has had people talking for months and the excitement levels continue to build.
The Group 1 feature is one of seven stakes races to be contested on the day, and whilst The Kosciuszko doesn’t hold black type status it certainly warrants attention with $2m up for grabs for the country gallopers.
I’ve done the form for all ten races, and you can find my detailed selections below in my Everest Day Preview.
SNITZEL DANCER has performed very well in both of her runs to date, and she looks ideally placed here stepping out to 1400m.
Prepared by the Ryan / Alexiou team, the filly made a stylish debut over 1250m at Canterbury, settling behind the leading pair and giving a good kick late to score by a head.
The runner up from that event came out to win at his next start as did the third placegetter, Shangri La Boy, who is now a Group 3 winner.
At her second start, the daughter of Snitzel contested a BM72 at Rosehill, where she got back and closed off strongly into second.
She presents at peak fitness and back against her own age group, there’s a lot to like about her.
MORE FELONS finished off strongly last start in The Metropolitan, and he looks primed for this event.
The Churchill gelding was in need of the run when resuming off a lengthy break in the Heatherlie and got a long way back in the Kingston Town but finished off nicely late.
Third up last time over the 2400m, he again found himself a long way off them, last in the eighteen-horse field, but he powered home to claim fourth, beaten only 1.3 lengths.
He’ll relish the extra furlong, and the low draw can see him settle with striking distance for Tommy Berry, who stays onboard for Chris Waller.
SWIFTFALCON is a frustrating galloper for both punters and connections but he’s racing well, and this looks a suitable assignment for him.
He finished off strongly in restricted room when resuming in the Tramway and second up in the Cameron Handicap, he again hit the line well, but it was all too late.
Out to the Randwick mile last start in the Epsom Handicap, he settled back in the second half of the field and flashed late once he was in clear air to claim fourth.
He’s fit, he’s certainly capable and if Dylan Gibbons can work his way into open air at the top of the straight, he can finish over the top of them.
PERFUMIST bounced back to her best last start to win over this course and distance, and I think she can repeat that performance in the Angst Stakes.
The NZ bred mare failed to fire in here first two runs back over 1200m back to the trials and out to the mile late last month, she relished the rise in trip as she went down by only a neck in third.
With the added fitness she was too good last time, controlling the race from the front and giving a good kick late to hold off any challengers.
The Bjorn Baker trained mare was simply brilliant last preparation as she made it four wins in succession, all by comfortable margins.
She loves it here at Randwick and with her confidence high, she looks well placed to record her first stakes victory.
FRONT PAGE resumes.
Now a nine-year-old, the son of Magnus won this race in ’22 and ’23 and had only Far Too Easy get the better of him last year.
A winner of over $3.5m, he’s a class horse and he excels when fresh.
He finished second in The Galaxy when kicking off last campaign and he looks ready to go off a recent Goulburn trial.
Tim Clark partnered him to victory in the Group 2 Moreton Cup during the Brisbane Winter Carnival, he’ll again do the steering and from barrier six he can put himself up there and make a race of it.
GOLDEN MILE returns to the races in the 2025 Sydney Stakes under new trainer Joe Pride.
The Godolphin gelding turned out some top performances last campaign, finishing third in both the Victory Stakes and Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup, where he got within a head of Joliestar who runs in this year’s The Everest.
He was luckless in the Stradbroke, held up for much of the straight, they were off gone by the time he found clear air.
He races well fresh and he’s done enough in two recent trials to suggest he’s ready to strike.
Adam Hyeronimus will take the mount, and the low draw will see him afforded every chance.
There’s no doubt Ka Ying rising is the horse to beat but I’m sticking solid with JIMMYSTAR.
He’s low-flying, Ciaron Maher has him ready to peak and I think the race will set up perfectly for him.
He found the 1000m too short when making his return in the Concorde Stakes. Settling back at the tail, he was always chasing but picked up strongly late to finish fifth.
He then trialled over 1030m, where after spearing out of the gates he sat second and kicked away to win the heat.
Last start in the Premiere, I thought he may have settled that bit closer but again, he was allowed to find his feet at the tail in the seven-horse field and scorched home late to get within half a length of Briasa.
With twelve runners to line up here and a genuine tempo expected, I think he’ll be charging over the top of them late.
GERRINGONG is racing well and the form around her is hard to overlook.
Prepared by the Waterhouse / Bott team, the Blue Point mare was just collared in the final 150m when leading first up on the Cockram Stakes.
Second up, she had to work to cross in the Tontonan Stakes and gave a sight until she was run down over the final 100m, but she stuck on well to hold fourth behind Café Millenium and subsequent Toorak winner Transatlantic.
She was better again last time in the Golden Pendant, with only Mannal getting the better of her late.
She’s hard fit and with Tim Clark to steer from the inside draw, she may prove hard to catch in the Silver Eagle.
We haven’t seen the best of CEOLWULF this preparation, but Joe Pride has elected to apply the blinkers, and I feel that could make all the difference.
He resumed with an eye-catching run in the Winx Stakes and was solid in both the Chelmsford and the 7 Stakes.
Last start in the Epsom, he was only average, holding his ground to the line after settling in the second half of the field.
There’s no doubting his ability, the Tavistock gelding was triumphant in this race last year on the back of an Epsom victory and he’s been competitive at the top level throughout his career.
With the shades to sharpen him up, back to WFA conditions and Pride of Jenni expected to string them out, I think he’ll be right in this edition of the King Charles III Stakes.
LORD OF BISCAY finished off strongly when resuming over 1200m at Rosehill but was found to be lame following his unplaced run there last start.
The Kris Lees trained son of Lope De Vega made his way down under over eighteen months ago after beginning his career in Europe and he looks very progressive.
With the fourteen race starts, he’s still only relatively lightly raced, and I think he’ll continue to rise through the grades.
James McDonald stays aboard, and he’s drawn to get the gun run.