Three-year-olds draw well in $20m The Everest
This year’s $20 million The Everest is the most open edition seen in eight editions, and Tuesday night’s barrier draw has done little to sort out the field of 12 for Saturday’s 1200m newly anointed Group 1 at Royal Randwick.
I Wish I Win remains a narrow favourite at $5 after drawing barrier 9, having started the same price as a second elect when held up from barrier 1 last year, finishing second to Think About It.
Giga Kick is aiming to become the second horse to win multiple editions of The Everest and trainer Clayton Douglas believes the horse is ready to fire third-up off an injury enforced spell, happy with barrier three for his gelding, who is an $11 chance.
“You know we’re on the comeback trail and I’ve been really happy with how he’s been coming along so now I’m looking forward to Saturday and I’m very happy with the barrier draw,” Douglas said.
“It gives us options and I think it’s just a perfect gate, so yeah, bring it on.”
In 2022 Giga Kick became the second three-year-old winner after Yes Yes Yes in 2019 and this year’s race will have the most ever three-year-olds with four; three colts and one filly.
Growing Empire and Traffic Warden are prominent in betting at $6 and $9 respectively and drew well, with the former for Yulong Stud drawing barrier 7 and the latter for Godolphin drawing barrier 2, while Storm Boy will jump from barrier 5 and Lady Of Camelot from barrier 11.
James Cummings is copying the playbook of Chris Waller and Yes Yes Yes with Traffic Warden, dropping back from a narrow defeat in the Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) and Godolphin’s trainer was happy to draw inside.
“Yeah, it’s a good draw. Two or five with the options that were remaining were good for us. But I came here hoping to get inside four and thinking that wasn’t too much to ask,” Cummings said.
“Look, I think he can belt home. If he can beat Sydney traffic from barrier two, then he should be able to win the Everest.”
Long time Everest fancy Bella Nipotina drew the widest in barrier 12 but remains at $8 as one of five horses at single figure odds, joined by Joliestar who has firmed into $6 after drawing barrier 4.
More Racing News
Dan Morton keeps faith with 2024 Railway Stakes mare
Trainer Dan Morton has shrugged aside Super Smink’s horror barrier draw and still thinks she can win the Group 1 Swan Draught-Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot on Saturday. A layer of complexity was added to Super Smink’s Railway Stakes bid after she was handed barrier 18, but Dan Morton is keeping the...
Timing right for Port Lockroy in G1 Railway Stakes bid
He’s one of five interstate raiders and the outsider of the quintet, but co-trainer, Rob Archibald believes there is a sense of timing about Port Lockroy in Saturday’s Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot. Rob Archibald, who shares training duties with Annabel Neasham, says Port Lockroy put himself into Railway Stakes...
Royal task for Gilded Water at local debut
A benchmark race on The Gong undercard will add some Royal flavour to the stand-alone Kembla Grange meeting when a horse owned by His Majesty King Charles III makes his local debut. Four-year-old Gilded Water has been sent to Australia to continue his racing career, having started just four times in the...
Improving trio to fly flag for Godolphin at Kembla Grange
Godolphin doesn’t have a representative in The Gong, but James Cummings is content to rely on a trio of up-and-coming sprinters to carry the stable’s hopes at the stand-alone Kembla Grange meeting. Fleetwood will headline the leading yard’s squad when he resumes in the Group 3 The Warra (1000m), while Pisanello and Restonica contest benchmark...
Jason Collett hoping to find Express lane in The Gong
Jason Collett is resigned to the fact that he will be more reliant on luck than good management as he tries to coax another win out of Territory Express in the $1 million The Gong at Kembla Grange. The Provincial-Midway Championships Final victor in the autumn, Territory Express has a get-back racing pattern...
Mark Walker aims for ‘new’ hometown Cranbourne Cup
Trainer Mark Walker has a good record when in form New Zealand gallopers land in Australia. Walker’s latest ‘import’ is It’s A Wild Night who will have his first Australian outing in the Listed Cranbourne Cup (1600m) on Saturday. It’s A Wild Night arrived at Walker’s Cranbourne base just over a week ago...
Trainer Gavin Bedggood chasing Fortune in The Meteorite
Gavin Bedggood hopes the decision to take Oscar’s Fortune to Cranbourne for a midweek gallop will pay off handsomely on Saturday. Oscar’s Fortune runs in the $1 million The Meteorite (1200m), a new ‘slot race’ that Southside Racing, a merged entity of the Cranbourne and Pakenham Clubs, runs for the first time. The former...
Railway Stakes 2024 timing perfect for Baker’s Bel
In-form mare Belclare will need to overcome a wide alley to land her first Australian Group One win in the Railway Stakes at Ascot, and connections believe Nash Rawiller is the perfect man for the job. A two-time victor at the highest level in New Zealand, Belclare joined the Sydney stable of Bjorn...
John Stewart eyes Melbourne with 2024 Japan Cup fancy
Goliath faces one of the toughest tasks in racing this weekend, beating the Japanese at home in their biggest race, but John Stewart is already planning his next moves with his star recruit and Australia is on the itinerary. The ambitious American has quickly become a powerful investor in Australian racing and...
Hedged poised to give The Warra rivals a trim-up
The Magic Millions carnival is the campaign focal point for promising sprinter Hedged, but trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr are hoping he can knock off a feature race along the way. The gelding will resume in the Group 3 The Warra (1000m) at Kembla Grange on Saturday, his first start...
