The Everest is a special conditions race held at Royal Randwick Racecourse over 1200m and is worth a staggering $15m, making it the richest race on turf world-wide. The weight-for-age scamper was introduced by Racing NSW in 2017 and has vastly become the premier sprint race on the Australian racing calendar. Star sprinter, Nature Strip, led from barrier to box in last year’s Everest and will be looking to do much the same this year.
He (Nature Strip) is currently $2.25 favourite with Dabble, after a dominant first up win here at Randwick in The Shorts. Lost And Running, another last start winner, is next best at $7.00 and Joseph Pride’s warhorse, Eduardo, is an $8.50 chance and rounds out those in single figures.
However, we know with horse racing that anything can happen and whoever takes home the winner’s rug here will be made to deserve it. So, we have dissected each of the horses’ chances for you and provided our horse racing tips! Read on below to find our runner by runner preview of The Everest 2022 along with The Shark’s best tips.
1. Nature Strip (12) – $2.25F
Jockey – James McDonald 58.5kg
Trainer – Chris Waller
Highest rated sprinter in the world who toyed with his rivals first up in The Shorts. Will be sent forward from the outside gate and will be primed for this second up. The team, and more importantly the horse, know what it takes to win this race and he looks the one to beat.
2. Eduardo (9) – $8.50
Jockey – Nash Rawiller 58.5kg
Trainer – Joseph Pride
Dominant in the Concorde first up before leading and holding on ok in The Shorts last start. Ran third in this race last year and looks to be going well enough to be competitive again. Will be let loose out of the gates and be in it for a long way.
Your final field for The Everest of 2022! 👇 pic.twitter.com/0AE8VmPpeN
— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) October 10, 2022
3. Lost And Running (7) – $7.00
Jockey – Hugh Bowman 58.5kg
Trainer – John O’Shea
*This horse has since been scratched.*
Ran through the line well first up in The Shorts before a strong win last start at Randwick. Will appreciate a drier track here and seems to be racing better than ever. Will get a nice cart into the race from the draw and have the last shot at the leaders.
4. Masked Crusader (10) – $12
Jockey – William Pike 58.5kg
Trainer – Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes
Showed glimpses of his old form last start when he charged home along the inside in the Premiere Stakes. Came from the clouds to finish a close second in this race last year, and should be peaking at the right time in a bid to go one better here. Each-way hope.
5. Mazu (11) – $17
Jockey – Sam Clipperton 58.5kg
Trainer – Peter & Paul Snowden
Not far away in both The Shorts and the Premiere Stakes this prep. Drawn an awkward alley here and will need some luck but shouldn’t be far away when the whips are cracking.
6. Private Eye (3) – $15
Jockey – Brenton Avdulla 58.5kg
Trainer – Joseph Pride
Arguably should’ve won the Stradbroke before a spell. Resumed with an electrifying win at Flemington down the straight under 60kg. Will enjoy a nice run behind the speed here and be closing hard. Could pay to include him in all multiple bets.
7. Overpass (6) – $34
Jockey – Rachel King 58.5kg
Trainer – Bjorn Baker
Rode the speed and held on well first up in The Shorts before an even effort last start. Will race handy from the middle draw here but may need to find a couple of lengths to be winning.
What goes into selecting a horse to run in The Everest?
Slot holder James Kennedy, owner of @RacingKennedy, gave us a unique insight into his teams’ process and how they came to have Bjorn Baker-trained Overpass running in their slot this Saturday! pic.twitter.com/WZfCJXq8rt
— Ladbrokes.com.au (@ladbrokescomau) October 12, 2022
8. Ingratiating (4) – $34
Jockey – Glyn Schofield 58.5kg
Trainer – James Cummings
Good win at Caulfield first up before an honest second behind stablemate, Paulele, last Saturday. Drawn well but is yet to win past 1100m, and hard to see him changing that stat here.
9. Joyful Fortune (1) – $61
Jockey – Tom Sherry 58.5kg
Trainer – Mark Newnham
Former HK galloper who was a brilliant winner first up at Flemington. Not sure he beat much on that occasion though and the high pressure 1200m will be a tough test for him here.
10. Shades Of Rose (8) – $41
Jockey – Kerrin McEvoy 56.5kg
Trainer – Bjorn Baker
Made it four wins in a row last start in the Sheraco beating Electric Girl. Will roll forward from the gate here and give a sight, but may find them a bit strong the last furlong.
11. Jacquinot (2) – $10
Jockey – Damian Lane 53kg
Trainer – Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr
Resumed with a dominant win first up at Caulfield beating boom colt, Aft Cabin. Followed that up with a surreal win in the Golden Rose last start. Will get back early from the low draw but will give them a fright late if they overdo things up front.
12. Giga Kick (5) – $20
Jockey – Craig Williams 53kg
Trainer – Clayton Douglas
Go well, Giga Kick! 🤝
Who is giving the three-year-old a chance in The Everest? @aus_turf_club @dougie_5 @c_douglasracing pic.twitter.com/g8WQs6ly02
— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) October 12, 2022
Unbeaten Victorian gelding who clung onto victory last start in the Danehill. Should enjoy a nice run in transit here and won’t know himself with 53kg on his back. Will need to run a new PB to make it five from five but has to be respected on what he’s produced thus far.
13e. Forbidden Love (N/A) – $91
Jockey – N/A 56.5kg
Trainer – Michael Freedman
Beaten favourite first up in the Missile before an even effort in the Winx Stakes last start. Drops back to 1200m here against the best sprinters around and may struggle to match their speed.
14e. Apache Chase (N/A) – $126
Jockey – N/A 58.5kg
Trainer – Desleigh Forster
Was far from disgraced first up in the Premiere Stakes. Races on speed and creates his own luck but this is a different ball game.
15e. Kementari (N/A) – $71
Jockey – N/A 58.5kg
Trainer – James Cummings
Chased hard both runs back this prep. Suited here in a high pressure race but may lack the class of some of the more fancied runners.
16e. In The Congo (N/A) – $101
Jockey – N/A 58.5kg
Trainer – Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
Did little first up in the McEwen behind Rothfire. Been a while between drinks and hard to have him on recent form here.
Final Word
What a race! The Everest has continually brought together a top notch field of sprinters and this year’s race is no exception. As expected, there looks to be plenty of pressure up front and all runners should get their chance to climb the mountain to claim the $6.2m winners cheque.
Here’s #TheEverest favourite Nature Strip and @mcacajamez breezing @rosehillgardens today.@TAB_Racing pic.twitter.com/f5MpiBhf9v
— Aidan Rodley (@AidanRodley) October 12, 2022
Hard to go past Nature Strip here. He dominated overseas and has returned in fine fettle with a brilliant win first up in The Shorts. The outside gate won’t worry him as McDonald will come across as he pleases and stay out of trouble. Whatever beats him will win the race.
Lost And Running looks like the main danger. He closed strong in The Shorts before a dominant win last start in the Premiere Stakes. He should be primed for this third up and will have the last crack at Nature Strip.
Private Eye looks the value in the race. With a bit of luck he wins the Stradbroke Handicap at the end of last prep, and his first up win at Flemington was super in good time. He will get back and be strong late, as will Golden Rose winner, Jacquinot.
The 9YO warhorse, Eduardo, and the Team Hawkes trained, Masked Crusader, are going well enough to be more than competitive and a win from either wouldn’t totally shock.
The Everest Tip
1. Nature Strip – Win ($2.25)
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*Odds correct at time of writing, courtesy of Dabble.
