Randwick around the track with Clinton Payne on Saturday

Clinton Payne - Saturday October 14

The punters around Australia say The Everest is a success with the race expected to break turnover records on a Sydney race.

Kerrin McEvoy returns to scale aboard Redzel after The Everest. Photo: Steve Hart

THE DOLLARS SAY THE EVEREST IS A WINNER

The early betting figures available point to The Everest striking a chord with punters across the nation.

Corporate bookies turnover figures were unavailable at the time of writing so we used the national tote pools to give us a guide on how the race engaged with racing’s lifeblood – the punters.

"The Everest has captured the imagination of the racing world like no other sporting event in Sydney,” Racing NSW Chief Executive, Peter V’landys said.

"The Championships is now firmly established in the autumn and has been highly successful, but The Everest has gone to another level attracting world attention in a matter of months.”

NOTE: Tote turnover from Western Australia has not been used as they round up or down on their website.

THE EVEREST TOTE FIGURES

Tote

NSW

VIC (ACT)

QLD (SA, TAS, NT)

Win

$1,457,760

$636,439

$473,732

Place

$609,156

$284,249

$224,520

Quinella

$286,433

$132,560

$94,366

Exacta

$57,704

$40,205.40

$25,369

Trifecta

$991,715

$399,331

$627,048

First 4

$2,706,270

$390,836

$257,488

CAULFIELD GUINEAS TOTE FIGURES

Tote

NSW

VIC (ACT)

QLD (SA, TAS, NT)

Win

$370,195

$530,903

$203,402

Place

$156,714

$284,159

$100,707

Quinella

$18,138

$105,264

$41,272

Exacta

$70,707

$32,585

$13,465

Trifecta

$140,281

$302,827

$140,716

First 4

$76,331

$807,395

$280,422

TOTE COMPARISON

Race

The Everest

Caulfield Guineas

Win

$2,567,931

$1,104,500

Place

$1,117,925

$541,580

Quinella

$513,359

$164,674

Exacta

$123,278

$116,757

Trifecta

$2,018,094

$583,824

First 4

$3,354,594

$1,164,148

SYDNEY’S BIG FOUR RACES TOTE FIGURES

Race

The Everest

Golden Slipper

Doncaster Mile

TJ Smith Stakes

Win

$2,567,931

$1,890,600

$1,677,986

$1,292,576

Place

$1,117,925

$860,815

$799,663

$578,164

Quinella

$513,359

$394,283

$338,192

$248,431

Exacta

$123,278

$114,202

$95,025

$69,125

Trifecta

$2,018,094

$1,533,335

$1,256,614

$722,101

First 4

$3,354,594

$1,644,563

$590,329

$351,544

WOULD SHE HAVE WON?

Plenty thought the Ben Smith-trained In Her Time had done enough to secure a start in The Everest when winning the Group II Premiere Stakes a fortnight ago but she was overlooked by slot holders that remained uncommitted.

On Saturday, the four-year-old mare proved too good for her opposition again when taking out the $500,000 Sydney Stakes over the 1200m trip, the same distance The Everest was run over.

Let’s compare the times - In Her Time ran the 1200m in 1.08.26 (last 600m in 34.22 seconds) compared with Redzel’s winning time in The Everest of 1.08.36 (last 600m in 34.46 seconds).

I’D GIVE A DAMN

While on comparing times, the amazing response to the inaugural $200,000 Anniversary Highway (1400m) arguably cost Country New South Wales’s best horse Don’t Give A Damn victory in the feature race.

A whopping 42 entries were received for the race before Racing NSW acted quickly, adding an additional race – $100,000 Highway Consolation (1400m) to Saturday’s card.

The highest rated runners made up the field of 14 for the Anniversary Highway but the lightly-raced Don’t Give A Damn found himself in the Consolation where he led all of the way running a fast 1.21.86 (last 600m in 34.78 seconds).

The Anniversary Highway was won by After All That in 1.22.40 (last 600m in 35.09 seconds) around fourth lengths slower than Don’t Give A Damn’s time.

"He’ll go for a break now, we’ll target the (Country Championships) qualifier in the autumn then see what happens,” Don’t Give A Damn’s trainer Danny Williams said.

"I won’t even be frightened to nominate him for the Doncaster because I think he’ll be an even better horse at a mile to 2000 (metres).”

Next year I’d love to see the primary qualifying criteria for the Anniversary Highway to be horses that have previously won a Highway Handicap.

Ten of the 14 runners in the Anniversary Highway had never won a Highway Handicap but nine in the Consolation had.

‘I DON’T THINK IT’S A KEEPER’

Racing NSW chief stipe Marc Van Gestel was getting around with a flash The Everest pin on Saturday.

The pin, crafted by master jeweller Nic Cerrone was presented to each of the 12 slot owners on Thursday night at the glitzy Australian Turf Club Chairman’s The Everest Ball at Randwick.

So which slot owner gave his to Van Gestel?

"If I tell you I’ll have to kill you,” Van Gestel said. "I don’t think it’s a keeper.

"I won’t be rushing to give it back after the last but at some stage I’d say the owner will come calling.”

WHAT TOP SYDNEY TRAINER HELD A GREYHOUND LICENCE?

Champion trainer Peter Snowden once held a licence in the greyhound industry.

Not that Snowden was ever listed as a trainer of a greyhound, but he held an attendants licence, allowing him to box and catch greyhounds.

Snowden would ride work in the morning in Scone before helping his wife Lyn’s uncle to help out with a team of greyhounds.

"I’d go to the trials and races with him,” Snowden said. "I’d lead the dogs out and box them on raceday at places like Muswellbrook, Gunnedah, Tamworth and Cessnock.

"It was something different to what I was used to but he had a few handy dogs and it was good fun.”

So did Snowden ever consider taking out a training licence? "no,” he replied.

TWO TOP JOCKEYS RUBBED OUT

The Everest winning jockey Kerrin McEvoy and Corey Brown were stewards’ room casualties on Saturday.

Both jockeys were suspended for careless riding in the Highway Consolation.

Their good records saved them from missing the Cox Plate meeting, both incurring four meeting bans that will sideline them after next Saturday’s Caulfield Cup meeting.

They miss Friday week’s Manikato Stakes card before returning a day later to ride against Winx in the Cox Plate.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Second Stakes Win for Cable Bay's Tough Bubba's Bay
Cable Bay’s “incredibly tough” daughter Bubba’s Bay is in career best form and took her second stakes win with a brave performance in the Listed Magic Millions Nudgee Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Aussie Metro Double for Ardrossan
Former stakes-winning New Zealand two-year-old Saltcoats has hit his groove in Australia, completing a winning double with a stylish performance in Saturday’s A$160,000 TAB Handicap (2000m) at Randwick.
Magic Millions 2YO Classic Next for Wootton Bassett Colt
The open juvenile event over 1100m at Randwick on Saturday looked a strong affair on paper with stakes performed horses O’ Ole, Memo and Tempestuous all engaged, but it was a couple of up and comers that led the way home in Wootton Bassett (GB) colt Gallo Nero and Extreme Choice filly Apocalyptic.
Impressive Debut Victory for Pinhook Winner – Half-Sister for MM
A $255,000 weanling purchase in Australia that was then sold for $500,000 at Karaka Book 1 by Kaha Nui Farm, good looking Deep Field gelding Field of Play made a mess of his rivals at Moonee Valley on Saturday when bolting in to win as he pleased,
Maher to Have Wellington Cup Runner
Leading Victorian trainer Ciaron Maher looks set to add some real international flavour to racing at Trentham next month with hardy stayer Interpretation likely to contest the Gr.3 NZ Campus Of Innovation & Sport Wellington Cup (3200m) on 18 January.
Disneck - Mr Consistency for Trapeze Artist
Four year-old gelding Disneck was the very first winner for Trapeze Artist when he won at Rosehill in November 2022 and two years on he’s never been going better with a cavalier victory at Randwick on Saturday bringing Christmas cheer for his big team of happy owners.
Sires With Winners - Saturday December 28
Here is the full list of 95 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Blueblood Zoustar 2YO Colt Wins on Debut – Brother for MM
The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr stable have taken a patient approach with exciting Zoustar colt Space Rider, who made a winning debut at Eagle Farm on Saturday to stake a late claim for the Magic Millions 2YO Classic in two weeks time.
All Too Hard Winner for Te Akau
Progressive galloper Insatiable kept his winning record intact at the Phar Lap Raceway in Timaru with a strong home straight burst that carried him to victory in the Leg Up Oilseed Goodness (1200m) on Saturday.
First Stakes-Winner for Cosmic Force – Give Me Space Upsets the Applecart
The $300,000 Group III BRC Vo Rogue Plate (1300m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday is often a dress rehearsal for the $3million Magic Millions 3YO Guineas in two weeks time and the winner this year was Give Me Space, who produced an incredible last to first finish to credit his sire Cosmic Force with his first stakes-winner.