Racing Confidential: US Jockey Club backs The Everest’s Group 1 status

Racing NSW and the Australian Turf Club given welcome news from the US as controversy swirls over the legitimacy of The Everest’s Group 1 status.

The influential US Jockey Club has given its international imprimatur to the $20 million The TAB Everest’s upgrade to Group 1 status for Saturday’s big-race at Royal Randwick.

“We will treat the Everest and the All-Star Mile as Group 1 races,” a US Jockey Club spokesperson told TDN Europe.

“They have been approved for Group 1 status by the Asian Pattern Committee which satisfies the requirements for Part I countries in Australasia.”

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This would be welcome news for Racing NSW and the Australian Turf Club as the issue of whether The Everest’s Group 1 status has been ratified became clouded in controversy this week.

For some reason, there is an element in the racing industry that almost seems against The Everest’s elevation to elite level but is this based on fact or just a political divide?

The bottom line is the Asian Pattern Committee has granted Group 1 status to The Everest, and All-Star Mile for that matter, and provided written approval of the upgrades to Racing Australia last week.

It begs the question why some can’t embrace The Everest being deservedly recognised on racing’s global stage as a legitimate Group 1 contest.

Let’s just enjoy the spectacle that is The Everest on Saturday, which will have a modern-day Randwick record crowd of around 50,000 and many millions more watching around the world.

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So, just how good are The Everest and Caulfield Cup meetings on Saturday?

Perhaps, it would be better if the two races weren’t on the same day, as Channel 7’s Bruce McAvaney suggests, but it is nirvana for punters.

Remarkably, there are 37 individual Group 1 winners racing at Royal Randwick and Caulfield – has Australian racing ever had so many elite horses competing on the same day?

At Royal Randwick, there are 24 individual Group 1 winners competing including eight in The Everest – I Wish I Win, Giga Kick, Private Eye, Bella Nipotina, Stefi Magnetica, Sunshine In Paris, Joliestar and Lady Of Camelot.

The 12 sprinters in The Everest field have already collected a staggering $61,258,345 prizemoney.

• Clinton Payne’s The Everest tips, runner-by-runner form assessment

The Everest field is so strong, another four Group 1 winners were made emergencies including last year’s winner Think About It, Overpass, Southport Tycoon and Mazu.

This quartet will instead line up in the Group 3 $2 million Sydney Stakes (1200m), effectively The Everest consolation, which has attracted a top class field of 18 sprinters.

The Randwick program is complemented by the Group 1 $5 million King Charles III Stakes (1600m) which boasts nine individual Group 1 winners and features the clash of outstanding mares Pride Of Jenni and Fangirl.

The $5 million Caulfield Cup (2400m) has a capacity field of 18 and includes nine individual Group 1 winners.

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There are some significant gear chances for The Everest meeting on Saturday.

I Wish I Win, the $6 TAB Fixed Odds favourite for The $20 million The Everest, will race in blinkers again.

Trainer Peter Moody has advised stewards I Wish I Win will wear the blinkers but the sprinter’s nose-roll has been removed.

In the $5 million King Charles III Stakes, the maestro Les Bridge has decided to use blinkers for the first time on his dual Group 1 winner, Celestial Legend.

Blinkers will also go on Godolphin’s Pericles, who is backing up after finishing fourth to Attrition in the Hill Stakes last week.

• ‘I never dreamt I would get a horse like I Am Me’: Owners’ Dynamic Everest ride

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The best-backed runner in The Everest has been Sunshine In Paris who has firmed from $11 to $9 after multiple bets of $2,000 at $11 with TAB Fixed Odds.

But TAB spokesman Tim Ryan said I Wish I Win and Joliestar remained equal favourites at $6.

“TAB punters have started rallying for I Wish I Win again after Joliestar proved quite popular since opening at $6,” Ryan said.

“I Wish I Win was a little bit soft and went $5 out to $6, but since then punters have gone back to him and he’s a lot more popular than Joliestar, although they’re both still $6 chances.

“Growing Empire is $6 out to $7.50, and Traffic Warden is the one TAB punters dove into immediately following the barrier draw, and he went $9 into $7 and is now out at $7.50.

“Sunshine In Paris has seen good support and is $11 into $9.50. Bella Nipotina has been pretty friendless after being at $6 before the barrier draw and is $8 out to $9 since then.

“The other one that’s trimmed up on Thursday has been Storm Boy, who is now $12 after being as much as $15 after the barrier draw.

“Stefi Magnetica is $15 into $14 and I Am Me in barrier one has been very popular with punters and is $17 into $15.”

• Everest Day Turf Talk: ‘Crazy to Think he’s missed a slot’

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The Royal Randwick course proper has improved to a soft 5 late on Thursday after receiving 42mm of rain in the previous seven days.

But there could be a track downgrade with showers forecast for Friday. The weather bureau has suggested between 2-15mm of rain will fall in Sydney.

Thursday afternoon track update 🌱 from @Woodracing1985 on the Royal Randwick surface ahead of Saturday.

Track remains Soft 5 after great sunshine ☀️ today. pic.twitter.com/ZVEmOIS9m8

— Australian Turf Club (@aus_turf_club) October 17, 2024

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Lake Forest, the star English galloper who arrived this week to prepare for the $10 million Golden Eagle, could be suffering from an identity crisis.

The William Haggas-trained Lake Forest, who was runner-up at Group 1 level at England’s famous Royal Ascot in June, shares the same name with the Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained three-year-old who is in the opener at Caulfield on Saturday.

It is expected Racing Australia will approve of then English galloper retaining his name but racing with the suffix “GB” after Lake Forest, as has been the practice previously.

The son of an Irish riding legend will make the trip to Sydney to ride Lake Forest in the $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill next month. 👇https://t.co/S7Jt0HSyMY

— Racenet (@RacenetTweets) October 14, 2024

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The field for the Group 2 $2 million Invitation Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick next Saturday is shaping up nicely.

There are 10 mares already accepted for the Invitation – Zougotcha, Magic Time, Belclare, Olentia, Royal Merchant, Terra Mater, Makarena, Arctic Glamour, Roll On High and Coco Jamboo – with two more to complete the field.

Zougotcha, trained by Chris Waller, is in the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Randwick on Saturday but, interestingly, no jockey has been declared yet. This suggests the mare might miss Saturday’s race and be saved for The Invitation.

Originally published as Racing Confidential: US Jockey Club backs The Everest’s Group 1 status