The Everest 2023 as it happened: Think About It wins Australia’s $20 million race

Well, that’s all from us today.

Thanks for following along all our live action, and big congratulations to Everest winner Sam Clipperton and Think About It - the young man who had given away riding a couple of years ago is now at the top of Australian action.

If you want to read about the race, you can find the full report here.

Enjoy your night, stay safe, and we’ll catch you again next time.

An emotional Sam Clipperton returns to the enclosure on Think About It.Credit: Getty

James McDonal on Fangirl after winning the King Charles III Stakes.Credit: Getty

Fangirl dominates to win race nine at Randwick.Credit: Getty

We’re getting down to our final two races of the day, with the King Charles III Stakes up next.

Mr Brightside is the clear favourite for that race, paying $1.80. The six-year-old gelding is ridden by Craig Williams and trained by Ben, Will and JD Hayes.

There’s a bit of a gap between him and the next best favourite - Fangirl - which is a Chris Waller trained horse ridden by James McDonald. The five-year-old mare is paying $7.00 ahead of Light Infantry Man which is paying $10.00.

Entrants in the Everest Fashion Stakes looked as though they occupied a parallel universe to many racegoers choosing party over polish as outfit inspiration.

Leaning into the drama were winners Sarah Crockett and Kalombo Ntumba. The prize pool of $15,000 in cash and prizes including vouchers for The Squire’s Landing and Oxford, was enough incentive for Ntumba, who has won the Melbourne Cup carnivals’ Fashions on the Field competition twice.

Fashion Stakes winners Sarah Crockett and Kalombo Ntumba at The Everest.Credit: Instagram

In 2021 Ntumba took home a package of prizes valued at $90,000 including a Lexus. His good luck charm has been jackets from Yohana Balibonera of YB tailoring but this time he had added assistance.

“My dad made my shirt and pants,” Ntumba said. “Not bad for an accountant.”

Crockett is another serial entrant, having placed runner-up in a number of competitions. This year Crockett decided to go big and go home a winner with a bow that would look oversized on a thoroughbred.

Full disclosure, I was a judge of Fashion Stakes alongside stylist Elliott Garnaut and Kate Waterhouse. If I could have voted for the rather large syndicate wearing black hats and bolo ties like the audience at a midnight screening of the Blues Brothers, I would have.

Sam Clipperton wins The Everest on Think About It.Credit: Getty

Well, no surprises for the big race, but there are a handful of others to come this afternoon.

Race eight is just five minutes away, and the favourite in that one is Pericles, a four-year-old gelding trained by James Cummings.

Yellow Brick, also a four-year-old gelding, is the second favourite behind him.