The Everest 2023

Ladbrokes Tip: The Everest horses that ran well make a good VRC Darley Champions Sprint tip in Melbourne later in the spring

The Everest is one of the newest horse races in Australia and also the richest turf race in the world with an unprecedented total of $20 million in prize money as of 2023, up from the original $10 million on offer in the inaugural edition.

It is now second in prize money to only the $28m Saudi Cup which is the world’s richest thoroughbred event and runs on a dirt track.

It was run for the first time in 2017 on Saturday October 14 at Royal Randwick Racecourse – won by Redzel who successfully defended his title in 2018 – and the event now competes for attention with the Melbourne horse races around this time.

A weight-for-age sprint contested over 1200m, The Everest is the jewel of the Sydney Spring Racing Carnival crown and is a Restricted race that does not hold black-type status. The $20 million prize pool sees it surpass the iconic Melbourne Cup  as the richest Australian horse race.

The Everest run at Royal Randwick is worth a staggering $20 million in prize money in 2023.

The Everest is unlike any other race contested down under and entry into The Everest field comes at a colossal cost of $600,000 to connections. Only the richest racing horse owners are able to buy their way into the event and The Everest field has a capacity of 12 starters.

Open to both Australian-trained and international horses The Everest is fast becoming one of the most recognised and revered racing events held anywhere in the world.

During the spring racing season in Australia lead-up races into The Everest include Randwick’s Group 2 The Shorts (1100m) in September and the weight-for-age Group 2 Premiere Stakes (1200m) at the same track. In 2017 the inaugural The Everest winner Redzel backed-up from a victory in The Shorts. Twelve months later Redzel improved on a lead-up fifth in the Premier Stakes to become a dual The Everest champion.

The Everest history was made in 2019 when the Chris Waller-trained three-year-old Yes Yes Yes beat the older horses in a new track record time.

In 2020 The Everest winner Classique Legend improved on his sixth in the previous year’s edition to become the first favourite to win at $4.20 handing jockey Kerrin McEvoy his incredible third victory in four years.

In 2021 Chris Waller won his second The Everest when Nature Strip ($3.70) saluted for the punters at his third attempt in the event.

The 2022 The Everest result saw Giga Kick become the second three-year-old to win, the first undefeated horse to claim the race and the longest-priced winner at $21.

The 2023 The Everest winner was the Joe Pride-trained Think About It who saluted as the $4.40 favourite for trainer Joe Pride when defeating I Wish I Win (2nd) and Pride’s other runner Private Eye (3rd) who had run second the previous year.

After contesting The Everest race horses may continue onto the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival for Group 1 sprint targets including the Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley and the VRC Sprint Classic (1200m) – now known as the VRC Darley Champions Sprint – run down the famous Flemington straight on the first Saturday of November during the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

Redzel (2017) became the first sprinter to do The Everest – VRC Sprint Classic interstate spring sprint double. In 2019, star short distance specialist Nature Strip improved on a lead-up fourth in The Everest results to win the VRC Sprint Classic.

Each Sydney Spring Racing Carnival Racing NSW will also rename the $3 million Winners Stakes (1300m), held at Rosehill Gardens on The Golden Eagle Day in early November, in honour of The Everest winner. For the inaugural Winners Stakes race in 2019 the event was known as The Redzel Stakes. The 2023 Winners Stakes will be run as the Giga Kick Stakes. The 2024 Winners Stakes will be known as the Think About It Stakes.

The Everest Day also now features the renamed Group 1 $5 million King Charles III Stakes (1600m) – formerly the George Main Stakes – moved to the card ahead of the 2023 edition.

Other features at the meeting include the $2 million Special Condition race The Kosciuszko (1200m) for NSW Country Trained Horses only, the lucrative Group 3 $2 million Sydney Stakes (1200m) for horses that failed to gain a slot in The Everest field, the $1 million Silver Eagle (1300m) for Golden Eagle-bound four-year-olds, the Group 3 Gloaming Stakes (1800m) for young stayers, and the Group 3 Angst Stakes (1600m).

With The Everest event boosting the popularity of slot-racing in Australia, the latest to be added to the calendar is the $4 million The Quokka (1200m) in WA running at Perth’s Ascot Racecourse for the first time in April of 2023 and won by Overpass.

The latest edition of The Everest ran on Saturday October 14, 2023 offering a staggering $20 million in prize money for the first time with first prize going to the Joe Pride-trained favourite Think About It ($4.40F) who kept his outstanding winning streak going. 

2023 The Everest Results

The Everest 2023 race results and full finishing order will be available below once the race is run and won on Saturday October 14, 2023.

2023 The Everest winner Think About It was too good again saluting for the punters in the $20 million sprint. Photo: Steve Hart.

• 1st: #3 Think About It
• 2nd: #1 I Wish I Win
• 3rd: #2 Private Eye

The Joe Pride-trained first-up Premiere Stakes winner Think About It ($4.40F) was too good again securing his incredible ninth win on the trot and 11th from 12 career starts overall when taking out the world’s richest turf race with a quarter-length victory over the brave I Wish I Win ($5) in The Everest 2023 race results. Pride’s other runner, the 2022 runner-up Private Eye, was also good finishing in the money once more off a wide run to place third to his star stablemate.

2023 The Everest Odds

The Everest 2023 betting featuring who’s who of Australian sprinters and The Everest odds will be provided below as soon as open. Runners confirmed in The Everest field feature heavily in all-in odds, while early spring performers that are dominating lead-up races are also being kept safe in early markets.

Betting on The Everest 2023 is traditionally led by the year’s TJ Smith Stakes winner / place-getters and proven Group 1 sprint stars with good lead-up form.

The Everest Race Info

• Date: Saturday October 14, 2023
• Track: Royal Randwick Racecourse
• Distance: 1200m
• Conditions: Weight-for-age
• Status: Restricted
• Prize Money: $20 million
• First Run: 2017

2023 THE EVEREST RACE PREVIEW

2023 THE EVEREST BETTING

The Everest Betting

The Everest betting markets are some most interesting of each spring racing season and odds on the world’s richest turf race are dominated by the star sprinters getting around at that time.

Some horses from international stables in The Everest betting markets may be unfamiliar to punters down under so doing the form on the race will be more crucial than ever.

A key early lead-up race for contenders that impacts The Everest odds is the Group 2 The Shorts (1100m) held at Randwick in mid-September, which produced the very first The Everest winner Redzel (1st in 2017).

Horses that dominated the autumn carnival sprint races including the TJ Smith Stakes also feature highly in The Everest race odds in the spring. In 2020 Classique Legend completed The Shorts – The Everest double with a Group 2 Premiere Stakes second between the two wins, while in 2021 Nature Strip improved on a lead-up The Shorts second to win The Everest and that year’s The Shorts winner Eduardo ran third in The Everest trifecta.

In 2023 The Shorts winner Private Eye ran third in The Everest results behind his stablemate Think About It having run second the year before to Giga Kick.

Held even earlier in the season, the Group 3 The Heath 1100 Stakes at Caulfield in August makes a good early The Everest guide and the results of that short-distance Melbourne race can affect markets on the world’s richest turf race. 2021 The Heath winner Masked Crusader went on to run a narrow second in The Everest quinella that year.

Classique Legend ($4.20 in 2020), Nature Strip ($3.70 in 2021), and Think About It ($4.40 in 2023) are the current The Everest betting favourites to have won.

Group 1 winning sprinters out of the autumn features earlier in the year including Randwick’s Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) dominate The Everest betting markets as the event is contested at the same track / distance as The Everest race during ‘The Championships’. Dual TJ Smith Stakes champion Nature Strip finally won The Everest in 2021 at his third attempt. Nature Strip would go on to secure his third TJ Smith Stakes victory in 2022.

In 2022 the defending champion Nature Strip started odds-on in The Everest betting after a lead-up win in The Shorts, but only managed to run fourth behind the three-year-old winner Giga Kick who saluted at a blowout price of $21.

The Everest Field

Entry into the spring’s The Everest field is via a hefty $600,000 payment from connections. There are 12 spots available into The Everest final field and each of those slots will be sold to interested owners. Those connections can then choose to trade their position in the world’s richest turf race or go into partnership with another owner who does not hold one of the original slots in The Everest race field.

The Everest field will attract an elite line-up of the world’s best sprinters from both local and international stables and a host of weight-for-age stars. Many horses that may have previously run in Melbourne spring sprint races may choose to shoot for the bigger prize money in The Everest field with $6.2 million on offer to the winner. Prize money is paid down to 12th so every horse in The Everest field comes away with stakes.

One of the very first potential lead-up races of the spring for horses looking for a slot in The Everest field is August’s Group 3 Show County Quality on Winx Stakes Day.

The other excellent The Everest lead-up is Randwick’s Group 3 Concorde Stakes (1000m) held in early September. Redzel won the Concorde Stakes three years straight (2017-19) including in the lead-up to his back-to-back The Everest victories, while the 2020 Concorde Stakes winner Gytrash ran third in that year’s The Everest trifecta.

Nature Strip (2021) was the last sprinter to complete the Concorde Stakes – The Everest double.

In 2022 Giga Kick won The Everest in an upset after lead-up Melbourne victories in the Group 3 Vain Stakes (1100m) and Group 2 Danehill Stakes (1200m).

The 2023 The Everest winner Think About It came off a lead-up win at the course and distance in the Group 2 Premiere Stakes (1200m).

2023 The Everest Field

The official The Everest 2023 field and barriers will be made available below as soon as the 12 slots in the race are confirmed by 10am (AEDT) on Tuesday October 10, 2023.

The 2023 The Everest barrier draw is also conducted on Tuesday October 10, 2023 with barriers released around 8:00pm (AEDT) that evening.

The official 2023 The Everest field and jockeys are now out with Alcohol Free the final runner to secure one of the 12 slots in the $20 million showdown.

The Everest 2023 barrier draw was announced on Tuesday night with I Wish I Win drawing barrier one in a blow for favourite backers while the main danger Think About It came up trumps with gate five which produced last year’s champion Giga Kick.

The Everest Tips

The Everest betting tips favour proven Group 1 winning sprinters and those proven down under. The 1200m Randwick course gives the advantage to the locally-trained contingent so the Aussie horses in the mix dominate The Everest tips each season.

Because the event is a weight-for-age race the best of the season’s three-year-old stars also feature highly in betting tips for The Everest race. In 2019 Yes Yes Yes won The Everest as a three-year-old, while in 2022 the then undefeated Giga Kick became the second three-year-old The Everest winner with his upset victory.

Keeping an eye on lead-up sprints both in Australia and overseas including England’s Royal Ascot carnival during our winter are also key The Everest tips.

2023 The Everest Tips

Our Ladbrokes’ insider The Everest 2023 betting tips and exotic race selections will be detailed in full below the week of the race so stay tuned for the sprinters to back and sack in the $20 million Sydney race feature.

To Win: #3 Think About It ($4.60 at time of publish) –  BET NOW

What a great seventh instalment of The Everest! It is a typically crack field of star sprinters bringing in varying form lines with plenty to consider. Have landed on the Joe Pride-trained Think About It to continue building his picket fence with an incredible ninth win on the trot. He is 10 from 11 overall and continues to impress. Massive winter included wins in the Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup and Stradbroke Handicap in Brisbane over 1300m and 1400m respectively. Carried 59kg in the former so handle the kilos with 58.5kg at WFA on Saturday. Flawless record at the track (3-3:-0-0) and is undefeated at the distance (4:4-0-0). Those are some pretty imposing stats and this So You Think five-year-old is a pretty imposing horse! He got the job done fresh in the Group 2 Premiere Stakes (1200m) with a narrow victory at the track and trip. This is tougher up against a horse like I Wish I Win now, but Sam Clipperton gets things his way from gate five. He got the box seat and closed hard up near the rail first-up, and he looks likely to get a similar charmed run here from the barrier. Pride came close to The Everest glory with Private Eye second last year, and that horse also lines up again, but think it is Think About It who will be best home.

The Danger: #1 I Wish I Win ($5) – BET NOW

Peter Moody certainly knows what it like to train a champion and face the pressure, and if I Wish I Win takes out The Everest this weekend he will go a long way to achieving championship status. This brilliant son of Savabeel is super versatile and has already banked over $7.8 million in 17 starts. He narrowly took out the $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) as a four-year-old in October 2022 and was very competitive this autumn with a trio of Group 1 top three runs. He was placed down the Flemington straight in the Lightning Stakes (2^nd) and Newmarket (3^rd) on firm Good (3) tracks before defeating last year’s The Everest winner Giga Kick in the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on a Heavy (9). Kicked off in Melbourne when third a half-length off the country’s best miler Mr Brightside in Caulfield’s Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m). Drops back to six furlongs which he has a stellar record over (6:3-2-1) and returns to the TJ Smith track and trip fit second-up. The inside alley was a bit of a blow, but Moody remains confident this horse can get the right run. Strap in!

The Roughie: #11 Shinzo ($18 at time of publish) – BET NOW

There is a host of livewire fancies at big The Everest odds with genuine claims at the title, but for the best roughie in the mix have landed on Chris Waller’s forgotten youngster Shinzo. The Golden Slipper winner got the absolute peach draw for him with gate six and has three-time The Everest winning jockey Kerrin McEvoy in the saddle. This still progressive Snitzel colt is looking to become the third three-year-old to win the race joining the also Waller-trained Yes Yes Yes (2019) and Giga Kick (2022) last year. Waller also prepared Nature Strip for a 2021 The Everest triumph. Right trainer, right jockey, right gate and is back to 53kg at WFA after carting 56.5kg to a first-up ninth to stablemate Militarize in the Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) on September 23. Was 2.6 lengths beaten, fitter now and back to his preferred trip. Runs spaced and was good in a trial when third to Overpass and Mazu – who both ran in last year’s The Everest as well as being in the mix again on Saturday. How he is close to $20 is beyond us!

Confirmed 2023 The Everest Horses

Below punters can stay up-to-date with the latest confirmed The Everest horses that have secured a slot in the 12-horse feature race at Randwick.

• Update: Reigning champion Giga Kick has been withdrawn from a The Everest title defence after suffering a campaign-ending torn gluteal muscle injury during his first-up third as the beaten favourite in the Group 2 McEwen Stakes on September 9 at The Valley.
• Update: The Annabel Neasham-trained Sunshine In Paris has been withdrawn from The Everest field for slot-holders Aquis due to a minor foreleg injury that has ruled her out of the remainder of the spring carnival.

1. I WISH I WIN

I Wish I Win. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

• Slot Holder: “Trackside” (New Zealand TAB)
• Breeding: by SAVABEEL  from MAKE A WISH (NZ)
• Trainer: Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman
• Jockey: Luke Nolen
• Barrier: 1
• Owners: Mr M J Chittick, Mr P G Moody
• Current The Everest 2023 Odds*: $5 – BET NOW

New Zealand slot holders will be represented in The Everest for the first time in 2023 with the NZ TAB (known as Trackside so as not to clash with the race’s major sponsor the Australian TAB) securing the Peter Moody-trained I Wish I Win. The versatile and classy son of Savabeel won The Golden Eagle in the spring before returning this autumn for a stellar campaign capped off by his TJ Smith Stakes success over The Everest track and trip. He was eye-catching first-up when third in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield behind the early form horse of the season Mr Brightside. Mr Brightside franked the form with his impressive next-up win in the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington, which bodes well for I Wish I Win and his The Everest bid.

2. PRIVATE EYE

Private Eye. Photo: Steve Hart.

• Slot Holder: Max Whitby and Neil Werrett
• Breeding: by AL MAHER  from CONFIDENTIAL QUEEN
• Trainer: Joe Pride
• Jockey: Nash Rawiller
• Barrier: 9
• Owners: Proven Thoroughbreds, Mr P D Yates, Mr N Dimitrakis, Mr J N Allen, Mr S I Flegman, Ms M F Keatinge, Sixth Sense Racing, Mr B D Playford, Mr G M Lester, Mr P J Davidson, Mr D George, Mr M S Ross, Mr C P Hackett, Martin Thoroughbred Racing, Mrs B P Davidson, Ms R L Laundy, Mrs S R Rowden, Mr T J Findlay, City Tattersalls Club, Ms I Brazil
• Current The Everest 2023 Odds*: $6 – BET NOW

Trainer Joe Pride will be dually represented in the $20 million race with last year’s brave runner-up Private Eye back for another shot at glory joining stablemate Think About It in the October 14 showdown. The now six-year-old son of Al Maher was enormous first-up in the Group 2 The Shorts saluting narrowly in a big run fresh with improvement to come as he looks to go one better than his second to Giga Kick in last year’s The Everest results.

3. THINK ABOUT IT

Think About It. Photo: Steve Hart.

• Slot Holder: Newgate Farm & GPI Racing
• Breeding: by SO YOU THINK (NZ)  from TIARE
• Trainer: Joseph Pride
• Jockey: Nash Rawiller
• Barrier: 5
• Owners: Proven Thoroughbreds, Mr R J Miller, Newfan Pty Ltd, Mr A J Halloran, Barraband Racing & Breeding, Mr S Maindonald, Mrs L Siltala, Mr K E McCaffrey, Mr T P Heesh, Mr J H G Finney, Mr D J Wilson, Mr W D Reeks, Mr S Vaughan, Mr M R Whiteman, Mr G Hele, Mr P M Brown, Mr S A Wilson, Dinner Till We Die, Think So Racing, Mr M J Miller
• Current The Everest 2023 Odds*: $4.50 – BET NOW

Joe Pride’s progressive sprint star Think About It was the third confirmed horse to secure a run in this year’s The Everest field. The bullish son of So You Think will race for Henry Field’s Newgate Farm and Greg Ingham’s GPI Racing with Newgate securing a majority share of the slot. Think About It took his record up to nine wins from 10 starts on June 10th saluting for the punters in Eagle Farm’s Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap. He won that running away on the back of another Group 1 in Brisbane at WFA in the Kingsford Smith Cup. Think About It continues to go from strength-to-strength after saluting first-up as the odds-on favourite in the Group 2 Premiere Stakes (1200m) on September 30 in a thrilling return over The Everest track and trip.

4. MAZU

Mazu. Photo: Steve Hart.

• Slot Holder: The Star and Arrowfield Stud.
• Breeding: by MAURICE (JPN)  from CHATELAINE
• Trainer: Peter & Paul Snowden
• Jockey: Tommy Berry
• Barrier: 11
• Owners: Triple Crown Syndications., Mr M De Stoop, Mr D Da Silva, Mrs V B Mossman, Mr M D Garreffa, Mr R G Edge, Ms S P Hopkins, Mr K F May, Mr G B Clark, Mr L Caminiti, Dr F McCourt, Mr A J Prince, Dr M Healy, Mr M L Spilstead
• Current The Everest 2023 Odds*: $51 – BET NOW

The opening 2023 The Everest slot was secured last year with The Star & Arrowfield locking in the Snowden-trained Mazu for a two-year representation deal. The four-year-old didn’t disappoint last year running a gallant third under a length beaten. A Winners Stakes second followed. This year he has been consistent again including a third to Giga Kick in Brisbane’s Doomben 10,000 before being sent out for a spell ahead of the spring and a second The Everest bid where he will be out to turn the tables on Clayton Douglas’s defending champ. Mazu was somewhat flat first-up in the Group 2 The Shorts (1100m) however running ninth behind last year’s The Everest runner-up Private Eye.

5. OVERPASS

Overpass. Photo: Steve Hart.

• Slot Holder: Australian Turf Club and Western Australia’s RAM Racing Syndicate
• Breeding: by VANCOUVER  from WALKWAY
• Trainer: Bjorn Baker
• Jockey: Joshua Parr
• Barrier: 2
• Owners: Mr S G Darby, Mr J Georgatsoulis, Mr P Halfhyde, Mr T Kingston, Mr W E Payne, Ms S G Wilson, Mr B E Wright, Jimlee Racing, Knuckleheads Racing, Mr C F Bolton, Darby Racing Walkway, Cantbreakmystride
• Current The Everest 2023 Odds*: $8.50 – BET NOW

The Bjorn Baker-trained Overpass will get another shot in The Everest with the now five-year-old son of Vancouver becoming the seventh horse to secure a coveted bid in the world’s richest turf race in 2023. Overpass was narrowly denied first-up when second to Private Eye in the Group 2 The Shorts beaten the barest of margins fresh. That was his first start since a good Group 1 Doomben 10,000 (1200m) second in Brisbane over the winter, which came on the back of becoming the inaugural $4 million The Quokka champion in WA back in April. The Quokka form was recently franked with the second place-getter Amelia’s Jewel winning Sydney’s Group 2 Let’s Elope Stakes in her first interstate assignment. Overpass was runner-up in last year’s The Shorts and would go on to finish sixth in The Everest results two runs later. He presents a more mature sprinter this season and could be a value contender.

6. BUENOS NOCHES

Buenos Noches. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

• Slot Holder: TAB
• Breeding: by SUPIDO  from KOI
• Trainer: Matthew Smith
• Jockey: Dylan Gibbons (a)
• Barrier: 8
• Owners: Mr A Sharp, Mrs F Connor, Mr G J Sharp, Mr G J P Van Ameyden, Ms S J Nuttall, Mr B Koster, Mr B T Cunningham, Ms S Cunningham, Mr M J Eddelbuttel, Mr P A Smith, Mrs F E Smith, Mr D R Pisani, Mr A J Toohey, Mr H G Toohey, Mr D M Toohey, Mr S W Kennedy, Ms R Whittle, Mr D Versa, Bobzilla, Bring It On F N Q
• Current The Everest 2023 Odds*: $11 – BET NOW

The Matthew Smith-trained four-year-old Buenos Noches has been locked in by the TAB to represent them in the seventh edition of The Everest following the up-and-comer’s eye-catching third behind fellow The Everest contenders Private Eye and Overpass in the Group 2 The Shorts. That came on the back of his Group 3 Show County Quality win at The Everest track and trip in August.

7. HAWAII FIVE OH

Hawaii Five Oh. Photo: Steve Hart.

• Slot Holder: Aquis
• Breeding: by I AM INVINCIBLE  from ALOHA
• Trainers: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
• Jockey: James McDonald
• Barrier: 10
• Owners: Strawberry Hill Stud, Mr G Harvey
• Current The Everest 2023 Odds*: $13 – BET NOW

The Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Hawaii Five Oh has been locked in by Aquis for The Everest following the four-year-olds brilliant Group 2 Premiere Stakes performance on Epsom Handicap Day. The progressive sprinter was enormous nearly stealing the show when just going down right on the line behind odds-on favourite Think About It in an improved run on his first-up sixth in The Shorts. It was a fast-finishing effort in the Premiere Stakes by Hawaii Five Oh who gets his shot at his last start conqueror in a $20 million rematch!

8. ALCOHOL FREE

Alcohol Free. Photo: Yulong Investments.

• Slot Holder: Yulong Investments
• Breeding: by NO NAY NEVER (USA)  from PLYING (USA)
• Trainers: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
• Jockey: Craig Williams
• Barrier: 7
• Owners: Yu Long Investments
• Current The Everest 2023 Odds*: $51 – BET NOW

The final slot in The Everest 2023 field owned by Yulong has been filled by the lucrative $10.6 million purchase Alcohol Free. The multiple Group 1 winning European mare is now with Waterhouse & Bott down under. She has had two runs in Australia including a first-up fourth in the Group 2 Premiere Stakes with improvement to come second-up.

9. IN SECRET

In Secret. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

• Slot Holder: Godolphin
• Breeding: by I AM INVINCIBLE  from ELOPING
• Trainer: James Cummings
• Jockey: Zac Purton
• Barrier: 12
• Owners: Godolphin
• Current The Everest 2023 Odds*: $16 – BET NOW

Godolphin have named classy four-year-old I Am Invincible mare In Secret as their 2023 The Everest contender. The James Cummings-trained beauty is best known for her dual Group 1 wins at Flemington as a filly in the Coolmore Stud Stakes over the boys in 2022 and the Newmarket Handicap against the older horses this autumn. She has had two runs this campaign in typical The Everest lead-ups when 2nd in the Concorde narrowly beaten by Remarque and then fourth in The Shorts again only 1.13 lengths off Private Eye with improvement to come. She will be fit third-up and ready to fire at Randwick relishing the six furlongs.

10. ESPIONA

Espiona. Photo: Steve Hart.

• Slot Holder: Chris Waller Racing
• Breeding: by EXTREME CHOICE  from DAHOOIL (NZ)
• Trainer: Chris Waller
• Jockey: Hugh Bowman
• Barrier: 3
• Owners: Star Thoroughbreds Pty Ltd, Mr L J Mugavin, McLeish Family Racing, Felgate Holdings, Mrs A M Hickey, Boeara Holdings, Paramount Racing, Mr M I Ive, Mrs R A Ive, Macedon Park Pty Ltd, Mrs D M Handley, CGO Racing
• Current The Everest 2023 Odds*: $15 – BET NOW

Chris Waller gets his shot at another The Everest title following his previous success with Yes Yes Yes (2019) and Nature Strip (2021) selecting classy mare Espiona to fill his slot in the $20 million showdown this spring. The Group 1 winning daughter of Extreme Choice ran a lovely The Everest trial winning the Group 2 Golden Pendant last time out and gets her chance now back to six furlongs third-up. Hugh Bowman has been confirmed to ride chasing his maiden The Everest victory.

11. SHINZO

Shinzo. Photo: Steve Hart.

• Slot Holder: Coolmore
• Breeding: by SNITZEL  from SAMAREADY
• Trainer: Chris Waller
• Jockey: Kerrin McEvoy
• Barrier: 6
• Owners: Coolmore, Wynaus, Westerberg, Mr J Poulin, Sir P J Vela, Chris Waller Racing, Lynque, Woppitt Bloodstock, Peachester Lodge Pty Ltd, Mr K J Pooley, Mrs J L Pooley, Rockingham Thoroughbreds, Mr R McClure
• Current The Everest 2023 Odds*: $14 – BET NOW

Two-time The Everest winning trainer Chris Waller is now dually represented in the 2023 The Everest field after Coolmore locked away three-year-old Snitzel colt to run in the $20 million showdown. Triple The Everest winning hoop Kerrin McEvoy is booked to ride the reigning Golden Slipper winner who will relish the drop back to six furlongs as he looks to improve a Golden Rose ninth over 1400m this prep.

12. CYLINDER

Cylinder. Photo: Steve Hart.

• Slot Holder: James Harron Bloodstock
• Breeding: by EXCEED AND EXCEL  from CIRCULAR
• Trainer: James Cummings
• Jockey: Zac Lloyd (a)
• Barrier: 4
• Owners: Godolphin
• Current The Everest 2023 Odds*: $9 – BET NOW

Godolphin and trainer James Cummings have another 2023 The Everest horse in the field with slot-holder James Harron Bloodstock picking up the classy Cylinder to fill the spot left void by the injured one-time favourite Giga Kick. Looking to go back-to-back for the three-year-old sprinters in the now $20 million feature the son of Exceed And Excel is a four-time winner from nine starts at time of publish. He showed his potential with a Slipper second as a juvenile. He was good this prep winning the Group 3 Vain Stakes and Group 2 Run To The Rose back-to-back across the states. Beaten third in the Golden Rose Stakes by the fast-finishing Militarize last Saturday, but did enough to earn his spot only a neck beaten with excuses.

EMERGENCIES:

13e. BELLA NIPOTINA

14e. ZAPATEO

15e. KING OF SPARTA

16e. VILANA