“What’s all this I hear about horses trying to conquer Everest? When I did it in 1953 there was only goats up on the mountain, and there was certainly no bastard waiting at the summit with a $5.8m winner’s cheque. This is bulls**t”
- Sir Edmund Hillary (if he were alive today)
Whilst old mate Edmund was one the great explorers of the 20th century, he’s missed a trick here. The inaugural running of The Everest, offering an outrageous $10m prizemoney, this Saturday at Randwick would make him turn in his grave! Throw in the bevy of Group 1 racing at Caulfield and you, Champ, have got yourself a mountainous afternoon of frostbite free action.
As always, the legends at SportChamps will be taking you to dizzying heights, with their $50 Guineas / Everest MEGA tournament offering an obscene $5,000 in prizemoney that's up for grabs. Plus there’s the $1 Tourney with $2,500 on offer… so if you miss this, you’ll be more frustrated than Ray Charles with a Where’s Wally book.
THE EVEREST
Despite Jason Derulo being the only international arriving for the event (the rest must have heard he was performing), the ATC have assembled an extraordinary field for the first running of the world’s richest turf race. She Will Reign is a deserved favourite after a sizzling first up run in the G1 Moir and it’ll take a bloody good horse to run her down with 51kg. Chatutauqua is the class horse in the field and although he’ll take longer to get there than a suitcase full of headphones sent by Cassie Sainsbury, he’ll be in the finish. Redkirk Warrior is the best chance of the Hayes trio, whilst English is the value at around $11 and peaks here.
CAULFIELD GUINEAS
‘The Autobahn to the Breeding Barn’. The $2m Guineas sends the winner to a life of fondling foxy fillies that a suicide bomber with 72 virgins awaiting him could only dream about! A couple of puzzling lead up races has made for a wide open race this year. Royal Symphony was the dominant favourite before last start’s farcically run race where he still ran great sectionals to finish 4th and must be respected. Catchy gets in (unlike Caulfield trainer Clinton McDonald at Bond Nightclub after a Dusty Martin ‘Don’t Argue’ at the door) to the race as the lone filly and has the class to win this. Showtime is finally putting it all together and may be the big improver and star jockey Damian Lane has knocked back his Everest ride to jump aboard Kemantari who motored home in the Prelude.
THE HERO
ALIZEE – Winner of the G1 Flight Stakes in absolutely stunning fashion and looks a moral here again in the Thousand Guineas.
THE VILLAIN
TOM MELBOURNE – Despite an outstanding campaign this bloke has become about as popular as the prison guard on the Green Mile who didn’t wet the sponge. Can’t win.
Punt responsibly Champs!