Australia's biggest and richest racing event is set to be the closest yet, with the 2023 TAB Everest to run on Saturday.
Joseph Pride-trained gelding Think About It is set to begin the race as favourite, with I Wish I Win close behind. Six-year-old Private Eye finished second last year and could again challenge for the event's $20 million prize.
Last year's winner Giga Kick was scratched and ruled out for the entire spring carnival, opening the door for some wild-card runners to enter the fray.
The Sporting News has the latest analysis for The Everest below.
The Everest at Royal Randwick History
The TAB Everest is a prestigious event, boasting the richest prize ($20 million) of any race in Australia, and any turf race in the world.
It was inaugurated in 2017, with the Australian Turf Club announcing it as the jewel of Sydney’s Spring Carnival, held in October.
The first two races were won by Australian thoroughbred Redzel, which wasn't seen as the favourite in either of its wins.
Yes Yes Yes (2019), Classique Legend (2020), and Nature Strip (2021) were the iconic events next victors.
Last year, three-year-old colt Giga Kick was the surprise Everest winner, taking out the $20 million prize despite its $18 odds.
The case against backing the favourite in The Everest
Think About It is set to enter this year's race as the favourite, followed closely by I Wish I Win.
While previous favourites haven't delivered, there are only minor reasons to doubt the two geldings, according to The Leg Up Australia's experts.
Think About It
“It’s just getting harder and harder to knock him isn’t it? Because he’s won nine in a row now. I half worry that he might already be ready for a 1400 or a mile. This is a horse that the connections thought was going to be a Cox Plate horse, and all of a sudden he ends up in The Everest and he’s favourite.” - Nick Lloyd
“Eleven starts, ten wins and a second, and we’re trying to knock this horse. I don’t have it on top, because, like Nick, I probably think it's 1400 out to a mile even. I think it’s gonna run a big race though.” - Patrick Allendorf
I Wish I Win
“He probably should be favourite over Think About It in my books. I know, weird set-up. he's six weeks, 1400 back to 1200, only second up, but it was just the perfect platform in the first up run where he really peaked on his run at the 200.
"Barrier one I don't think it's an issue, he might be three pairs back on the fence, and they're gonna be spread out. It's a 20 million dollar race, there's not gonna be six links first-to-last." - Nick Lloyd
“I think there’s more of an emphasis being out on the barrier, I believe because it’s so far between runs and people don’t have a lot to say. It is coming from a 1400 to an Everest. I’ve got a bit of a knock on the prep, but that’s up to the trainer and I still think it can probably do it with that prep.” - Patrick Allendorf
THE LEG UP'S EXPERT TIP: Buenos Noches ($18) or Cylinder ($10)
Buenos Noches
"I think this is the horse with the most potential in the race. As much as I didn’t expect to be putting a Matt Smith runner on top, I think Buenos Noches could be the horse this year that really just blows them away." - Patrick Allendorf
Cylinder
“This is your winner. I was against him in the Golden Rose, but he is super... He’s drawn perfectly just to stalk the speed. He gets blinkers on for the first time which will improve him a length or two and he gets in with only 53 kilos.” - Nick Lloyd
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