Emotions run high as The Everest pinnacle gets within reach

On the eve of the world’s richest race on turf tensions are running high for those involved in the dash for The Everest’s $20 million in prize money. Watch episode five of The Race here.

On the eve of the world’s richest race on turf tensions are running high for those involved in the dash for The Everest’s $20 million in prize money.

With just one day to go the fifth episode of The Daily Telegraph’s documentary series The Race gives viewers an exclusive peek into the build up to race day.

Larrikin ad man John Singleton has offered to shout the public bar if his horse Hawaii Five Oh wins the race and said the event is a commercial masterstroke by Racing NSW.

“I think The Everest is a great name. It captures the imagination straight away. The Everest is the pinnacle, the highest you can get in racing,” he said.

His horse is trained by racing legend Gai Waterhouse and her partner Adrian Bott, who she reveals has given her an extended lease of life in the racing industry.

Gai Waterhouse is gunning for The Everest. (Photo by Ross Holburt/Racing Photos via Getty Images)

“I just had the right gut feeling with him,” Ms Waterhouse says of Bott. “I have always acted on my gut feeling and I have drawn an ace.”

Mr Bott said Hawaii Five Oh had a good chance of winning the race and added that “we haven’t seen the best of him yet”.

Mr Bott said they had deliberately targeted the race and now have two runners with Alcohol Free also earning a spot in Yulong Investment’s slot with last year’s winning jockey Craig Williams in the saddle.

He said The Everest has “continued to gather momentum and we have set ourselves to winning that race. It takes a very talented and unique horse to win”.

“It’s getting harder each year with the prize money and the exposure that it is getting,” Mr Bott told The Race.

Adrian Bott has given Gai a second wind in the industry. (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)

In the final week leading up to race day, episode five of The Race takes viewers behind the scenes for the barrier draw on Sydney Harbour where trainers, slot holders and owners watched from the deck of The Jackson super yacht as the barriers were projected by lasers onto a curtain of water.

Beyond the theatre lay joy and disappointment as some were delighted, such as Denise Martin from Star Thoroughbreds, who was delighted when Espiona drew barrier three. Others were devastated. Least concerned was trainer Bjorn Baker whose horse Overpass drew slot two but is expected to charge to the front no matter where he starts from.

Of course it is not where you start but where you finish that counts. The final episode of The Race comes out on Monday and will take viewers on the tumultuous journey of joy and heartbreak in the world’s richest race on turf - The Everest.