Track: Good   Weather: Fine

Twelve talented sprinters will race for the $15,000,000 prizemoney on offer for  The Everest. They range in age from three to eight and only one mare is in the field. Three runners had their last start in the the Group 2 The Shorts  over 1100m on 18 September, three in the Group 1 Moir Stakes over 1000m at 24 September and four (including an emergency) in the Group 2 Premiere Stakes.  The early favourite is seven-year-old  Nature Strip who followed a win in the Group 3 Concorde Stakes with 2nd in The Shorts. Second favourite is 2020 winner Classique Legend who has only raced once in the last year but has won three trials. Third favourite is Eduardo who was a strong winner of The Shorts when resuming.

Gytrash finished 3rd in this race last year and resumed for 3rd in The Shorts after being held up.  Masked Crusader won the Premiere Stakes with an impressive last to first performance. Home Affairs is the sole three-year-old in the race and comes off an impressive win in the Listed Heritage Stakes. The Inferno was won nine of his 12 starts and was a close 2nd in the Moir Stakes last outing, while Lost And Running finished 4th in the Premiere Stakes.  All other runners are currently 33 to 1 or longer.

1. Nature Strip

He has 17 wins from 32 starts and has been favourite at both starts this time in for  a 2.5 length win in the Concorde Stakes and 0.4 lengths 2nd in The Shorts where he looked the winner before being gunned down late. His best form is third-up, but he has drawn wide in barrier 10. One of the chances.

2. Classique Legend

The 2020 winner. After that he went to Sha Tin where he finished 11th of 14 in the Hong Kong Sprint and that is his only race since last years Everest. He goes well first-up and has won three recent trials at Randwick. Expect to go well

3. Eduardo

At eight-years-old he is the oldest runner this year. During the winter carnival he was a strong winner of the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 before spelling. When resuming he ran on doggedly to beat Nature Strip in The Shorts. Wouldn’t surprise to see a similar performance.

4. Gytrash

Ran 3rd in this race last year.Resumed from a spell for 1.5 lengths 3rd in The Shorts, after being held up and not tested in the final 100m. Arguably should have won. Nicely drawn in the inside barrier and can’t be overlooked

5. Trekking

Ran 3rd in this race in 2019 and 4th last year. Resumed for 3rd in the Concorde Stakes then a fast finishing 3rd in the Moir Stakes over 1000m. That looked a great lead-up and he can place again.

6. Masked Crusader

Came from well back for an impressive win in the Premiere Stakes last start. Has a top record at this distance with 5 wins and a 2nd and could show up here over his top distance.

7. Wild Ruler

Resumed from a spell for 2nd to Nature Strip in the Concorde Stakes, then won the Moir Stakes last start. Will need luck from barrier 11 but looks to be in great form this campaign.

8. The Inferno

This five-year-old has a great strike rate of nine wins and two places from 12 starts. His latest two starts are the only two starts at Group level where he won the Group 2 Mitty McEwen Stakes, then was a close 2nd in the Group 1 Moir. Has the outside barrier.

9. Embracer

His last win was in the Listed Hawkesbury Rush in May. He has placed at his last three starts – the G3 Show County Quality, G2 Theo Marks Stakes and the G2 Premiere Stakes. This is tougher.

10. Lost And Running

Finished 8th in The Shorts when resuming then 1.4 lengths 4th in the Premiere Stakes. Needs to improve to be a winning chance.

11. Libertini

The only mare in the race. Ran 4.1 lengths 8th in this race last year after a first-up win in the Premiere Stakes. She resumes here as she goes best first-up.

12. Home Affairs

The only three-year-old in the race. He has two wins and two places from five starts. Was impressive with an all-the-way win in the Heritage Stakes when resuming and has a chance with the light weight.

13e. Kementari – 1st Emergency

Will be running in the Sydney Stakes.

14e. Signore Fox – 2nd Emergency

Will be running in the Sydney Stakes.

15e. Standout –  3rd Emergency

Will be running in the Sydney Stakes.

16e. Chat – 4th Emergency

Will be running in the Sydney Stakes.

The following are the top 4 selections for this years race.

Jo’s Tips
3 Eduardo
1 Nature Strip
12 Home Affairs
5 Trekking

Result	Horse	Margin
1st	1. Nature Strip
2nd	6. Masked Crusader	0.2 length
3rd	3. Eduardo	0.43 lengths
4th	10. Lost And Running	2.03 lengths

The track was rated as Soft 5.

Scratchings: 13. Kementari, 14. Signore Fox, 15. Standout, 16. Chat.