The final field for the 2024 A$20 million The Everest to be run at Randwick on Saturday has been confirmed.
A star-studded lineup of sprinters is set to battle it out for the world’s richest turf race.
Private Eye has placed in the past two Everests – but has drifted in betting for Saturday (Pic – Supplied)
Australian racing media report that Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman‘s I Wish I Win leads the charge as the early favourite in betting on the A$20 million sprint through Ladbrokes drawing barrier nine.
Luke Nolen will be in the saddle for this talented gelding, who comes into the race with strong form and a history of performing well at Randwick including the luckless second from barrier one behind Think About It in last year’s The Everest results.
Clayton Douglas‘ now five-year-old son of Scissor Kick, Giga Kick, won the 2022 The Everest and is keen to salute in the now Group 1 feature again.
He has drawn barrier three and will be ridden by a new hoop in Mark Zahra.
Joseph Pride‘s Private Eye, a consistent performer having placed in the past two The Everest races when 2nd in 2022 and 3rd last year, is another contender to watch despite being a notable drifter in the markets.
He has drawn barrier ten and will be ridden by Jay Ford.
Ciaron Maher‘s brilliant mare Bella Nipotina, a multiple Group 1 winner, has plenty of claims even drawn out in barrier 12 for jockey Craig Williams to overcome.
The airborne I Am Me, another mare trained by Maher who has his first three The Everest contenders all in the field this year, has been in excellent form and secured barrier one. She will be ridden by Nash Rawiller.
Maher’s third hope is the Ladbrokes Manikato runner-up Growing Empire with the colt drawn barrier seven for three-time The Everest winning jockey Kerrin McEvoy.
Godolphin’s recent Golden Rose runner-up Traffic Warden, ready to drop back to 1200m and get some weight relief at WFA against the older sprinters, is the best fancied of the three-year-olds this year after a favourable barrier two draw.
Two-time The Everest winning trainer and slot holder Chris Waller meanwhile saddles-up the early market mover with talented four-year-old mare Joliestar set to shine from her ideal gate four draw for ace hoop James McDonald.
