TAB Everest Day (Randwick) – October 17th

Group 1 - The TAB Everest

(WFA - 1200m)

Post Race Details & Comments

Winning Horse: Tempted (Aus)

Street Boss (USA) - Calliope (Aus)(Exceed And Excel (Aus))

15 starts - 10 wins 2 seconds 2 thirds $14009400

Group 1 Wins

1st G1 Randwick The Chase Surround Stakes 1400m (2026)

Black Type Wins

1st G2 Randwick Precise Air Premiere Stakes 1200m (2026)

1st G2 Randwick Catanach's Jewellers Concorde Stakes 1000m (2026)

1st G2 Randwick Arrowfield 3Yo Sprint 1200m (2026)

1st G3 Randwick Kia Ora Eskimo Prince Stakes 1200m (2026)

1st G2 Rosehill Yulong Run To The Rose 1200m (2025)

1st G2 Randwick The Star Percy Sykes Stakes 1200m (2025)

1st G2 Randwick Petaluma Reisling Stakes 1200m (2025)

Race Result:

1st: Tempted (C Maher/C Schofield) - $6.50
2nd: Ka Ying Rising (D Hayes/Z Purton) - $1.35F
3rd: Joliestar (C Waller/J McDonald) - $19

Winning Time: 1:08.21  Last 600m: 34.28

Margins: ½ Neck x Neck

Winning Trainer: Ciaron Maher

On the win: “I always had an air of confidence she would run her best race today. You could see the way she was building through it. Chad knew what he had under him and I felt barrier one was ideal. She had to be at her absolute best and she was.”

On the run: “This mare was there to be beaten but she did it! She went forward, made her own luck, and ‘God’, this is amazing. Earlier today, we were talking that we don’t really know how good she is.”

Second last year: “She hasn’t been beaten since and rectified it this year. It is really great, on an amazing day, I’m absolutely thrilled.”

On Pride Of Jenni?: “They are both two amazing horses. Pride Of Jenni, I would have liked to have her here today but the horse comes first, always.”

“Tempted -Wow! Who knows what we could do with her but she has got better every preparation and I don’t think she is done yet.”

Take on the World: “She probably could but she is still a little bit quirky. You could see that going out on the track, she was a bit ‘fruity’. But she is improving all the time.”

On winning for Godolphin: “I’m thrilled for Godolphin. A lot of horses don’t reach their full potential but Godolphin has been very patient with Tempted. We could have taken her to Melbourne last spring but we didn’t.”

“We put her away for autumn and gave her a light autumn with a few of reaching her full potential. She is something special.”

Trainer of Ka Ying Rising (2nd): David Hayes

David Hayes on where the horse settled in the run: “We didn’t expect him to be there, but it was the barrier. Sometimes eleven can be a bonus, but he got caught wide. He settled a bit further back than we thought he would, and if we have to take a positive out of it, he was in front one stride after the post.”

“So very brave. The first and third horse cut the corner and really had dream runs, and we had a horror (run) being six-wide, no cover. But he was brave, and I love the way he finished, but I hate the result.”

Ground OK in end: “The ground was absolutely perfect. It was the barrier, and we actually thought the barrier would be a bonus, but it went the wrong way for us.”

“I’ve had a chat with Zac (Purton) and he just thinks the barrier, getting caught so wide, and the winner had such a beautiful run. And well done to the winner. She’s had a big spring.

Next stop, Longines HKIR day: “He’ll be there on Longines day and then Champions day, and this season is only just starting, so hopefully we might come back next year.”

Winning Jockey: Chad Schofield

On the winner: “First time I’ve really ridden her and asked her from the start. I normally just ride her to relax and trust her to be far too good late.”

“But it was a different race today. We had the world’s best sprinter, the world’s best horse. I had eyes for him, and I knew he wasn’t up there and I held my spot and kept him deep and I’m pretty sure that made Zac (Purton, Ka Ying Rising’s jockey) have to come back.”

“From there, I had the perfect trip. I came off from behind the two leaders, and I hit the front very early, a long way out. But she’s such a good horse, she's so brave and so game.”

That the plan to be positive: ‘It wasn’t our plan. Ciaron just said, let her be. If she wants to be there, let her be there. He felt in this race last year she was a pair further back than she needed to be. I jumped, I gave her a squeeze, and like always, she was there for me and she delivered.”

“She’s getting better, that’s all I’ll say. I rode her as a three-year-old and she came back so much stronger. She was amazing first-up, she was even better second-up. I reckon she went to a new level there today. She’s had three runs this prep and got better each time, why won’t she keep improving now as a four-year-old.”

Former jockey Glyn Schofield, Chad’s father: “It’s fantastic. All credit to Chad, and off course to Ciaron and his team and Godolphin. Of course, the hype horse wasn’t quite there today, but there’s always a winner and I’m glad it was Chad.”

Beaten Jockeys:

Zac Purton (Ka Ying Rising): “He ran well. Good effort.”

Nash Rawiller (Jimmysstar): “He couldn’t muster early. Was a bit slow away. I think he made up four lengths topping the rise. And then it was very hard to make up the next four. Ran creditably without giving away that much start today.”

Dylan Gibbons (Giga Kick): “He had a great run. When they steadied up it ruffled his feathers a bit. Took away his last 50m. I thought it was a run back on track for an old warrior.”

Ben Melham (Angel Capital): “I thought he ran terrific. A low draw is not his go. In this grade 1200m was not really his go either. Ran well.”

Tim Clark (Caballus): “Thought he acquitted himself very well. Had a nice run throughout. Wasn’t beaten too far.”

Kerrin McEvoy (Headwall): “Great run by him. Travelled nicely, peeled off, presented for a really great run by him. Happy for them.”

Tommy Berry (Ninja): “Very proud of him. We rode the speed. Just had Spicy Martini keeping him honest the whole way. Even around the bend he wasn’t able to build into his race like he usually does. He had to do it on a dime. DId a great job. Will be back in 12 months time a better horse.”

James McDonald (Joliestar): “I’ve never been more proud of her. She has run the race of her life. Has never felt better than she did today. So that is just an incredible job by the team.”

Taylor Marshall (Spicy Martini): “She began terrific. Wanted to give her a positive ride. We had speed underneath us. I elected to let her travel. She didn’t shake her task. Drying ground wasn’t favorable. We still haven’t seen the best of her.”

Zac Lloyd (Savvy Hallie): “She tried her best. Broke really well but didn’t help having Tempted come past us so fast. It took some confidence out of her but she tried.”

Jamie Melham (Blue Door): “She ran alright. She hasn’t been in a race like that with that much tempo before. She just folded at the 300m being under pressure a long way out.”

Race Photo courtesy of Bradley Photos

The Everest Race Details

• First Running: 2017 (won by Redzel).
• Race Record: 1:07.32 (Yes Yes Yes 2019).
• Status: Elevated to G1 in 2024.
• Multiple Winners: Redzel (2017, 2018).
• Mares: 24 mares have run with Bella Nipotina becoming the first mare to even place when she won in 2024.
• Fillies: 5 fillies have run with Tempted 2nd in 2025 the best finish.
• Colts/Geldings: 11 have run including 2 European colts with Yes Yes Yes & Giga Kick 1st as the best finish (no 3yo ran in 2020).
• Lead Ups: The Premiere Stakes has now produced the winner 4 times.
• Leading Trainers: Peter & Paul Snowden (2), Chris Waller (2), Les Bridge (1), Clayton Douglas (1), Joe Pride (1), Ciaron Maher (1), David Hayes (1).
• Leading Jockeys: Kerrin McEvoy (3), Craig Williams (2), Glen Boss (1), James McDonald (1), Sam Clipperton (1), Zac Purton (1).

Points Of Interest

• The first three winners were basically the same price.
• Horses who predominantly raced interstate started favourite in the first three Everests (Vega Magic/Shoals/Arcadia Queen). Giga Kick became the first interstate trained winner.
• Kerrin McEvoy made it three Everests to go with three Melbourne Cups with the 2020 win.
• 4 of the 9 winners have brought in winning form and score.
• The 2021 trifecta was the same as the TJ Smith run six months earlier.
• As it turned out that 2021 trifecta (Nature Strip, Masked Crusader, Eduardo) were all retired in September of 2023 to a life of luxury within the space of six days of each other.
• Horses to compete in more than two Everests – Nature Strip (4), Redzel, Santa Ana Lane, Classique Legend, Trekking, Eduardo, Private Eye, Overpass, Mazu. {Multiple horses (2)}.
• 16 x 3yos have run – 5 Fillies, 8 Colts, 1 gelding and 2 Northern Hemisphere Colts.
• Most Rides - Kerrin McEvoy 9 (3 wins).
• Most Horses Trained - Chris Waller 14 (2 wins).
• Lost And Running became the first horse to be scratched on race day and was replaced by slotholder Tabcorp with Kementari.
• Think About It took his record to 11 from 12 in winning the 2023 race.
• 2024 was the first time it wasn’t a full field when Traffic Warden was a late scratching at the barriers.
• Bella Nipotina became the first mare to place, leave alone win.
• Ciaron Maher won with his first runner while Craig Williams won his second Everest combining with Bella Nipotina.
• Shortest priced favourite: Nature Strip ($1.90) 2022
• Biggest priced winner: Giga Kick ($21) 2022
• Shortest priced winner: Ka Ying Rising ($2) 2025
• First favourite to win: Classique Legend ($4.25) 2020
• Winners by Age: 5yo (4), 3yo (2), 6yo (1), 7yo (2)
• Winners by Gender: Geldings (7), Colts (1), Fillies (0), Mares (1)
• Oldest winners: Nature Strip (7G) 2021, Bella Nipotina (7M) 2024.
• Most successful Slotholders: James Harron (2), Chris Waller Racing (2), ATC (2 with Bon Ho + HKJC).

History of Winners

Current Field - Previous Performances

History Placegetters : Statistics from 2005 to 2025

Black Type Form: Last 12 months

Winning Trainers : Statistics from 2005 to 2025

Winning Jockeys : Statistics from 2005 to 2025

Barrier Statistics : Statistics from 2005 to 2025

Winners by Weight : Statistics from 2005 to 2025

Favourites : Statistics from 2005 to 2025

Runner Ages : Statistics from 2005 to 2025

Trainer: Number of Australian Black Type Wins for Trainers in this field

Jockey: Number of Australian Black Type Wins for Jockeys in this field