Why $20m doesn’t guarantee The Everest’s best field
Let’s get one thing straight, The Everest is never going to attract the best 12 sprinters because of its nature, where the deal is at the centre of proceedings.
The slotholders want the best deal for their $700,000 investment and most of all, they want at least the slot fee.
The first option for the majority of slotholders is to have their own horse run in The Everest, then it comes to a commercial proposition of finding the best deal.
It means the best horse gets the best deal, while the lesser types have to take what they can get if they want to live The Everest dream.
Most deals done quarantine the $700,000 back to the slotholder and then split the prizemoney, which doesn’t make the $20 million showcase near as lucative as it seems.
Owners want the best for their horses, and often that means looking beyond the dream race when winning seems out of reach, especially in a year where Ka Ying Rising and Tempted seem to have a big gap on their rivals.
There have been a number of owners that have turned down offers to run in The Everest this year, looking at the $2 million Sydney Stakes as a better option and other options around the country.
The winner’s cheque for the Sydney Stakes returns more than 50-50 split for running third in The Everest, worth $20 million. The consolation is overvalued if the object is getting the best field for The Everest.
There are 25 entries for Saturday’s Sydney Stakes trying to get some of the generous prizemoney on offer.
The first half-dozen slots for The Everest are easy to pick each year but the next six can go to horses from anywhere between the seventh best sprinter available to 20th.
The sell is becoming harder as owners realising the toll the pressure of The Everest takes on horses and that there are races to be won that are much easier during the carnival.
Often, slotholders left without a horse late in the process are forced into a better deal to get a horse that is competitive. They have to change owners minds by giving an attractive appearance fee.
But in the end, slotholders hold the power in the world’s richest sprint and want return on investment. It is a game that few have an insight on.
Sellouts for Wenty farewell and The Everest
What a weekend racing it will be in Sydney. But if you haven’t got a ticket it will be near impossible to be trackside.
On Friday night, Wentworth Park is sold out for the final meeting at the famous inner-city dog track and the Million-Dollar Chase.
Greyhound Breeders Owners Trainers Association hold a lease on Wenty until September 2027, but after consulting with Greyhound NSW, decided to leave it early.
The Million-Dollar Chase is the perfect way to send out a Sydney institution, with a capacity crowd of 6000.
Metropolitan dog racing will move to Gosford until next September with GRNSW expected to make a decision on the future of the sport beyond that in the coming months.
It could see a new facility built or a move to Richmond as the main NSW track.
Then on Saturday, The Everest is also a general admission sellout. The crowd continues to get younger, as those kids who have grown up with The Everest for the past decade are drawn to Sydney’s biggest raceday.
If you haven’t got a ticket, buying a membership to the Australian Turf Club will get you, while some high-end hospitality packages can still be purchased.
The Everest juggernaut continues to grow and the ATC is working on extending the available space for the crowd in 2027.
Hinton a different leader
Racing NSW chief executive-in-waiting Graeme Hinton has shown things will be a little different under his leadership than under his mentor, Peter V’landys.
Hinton has already sat in on a number of meetings with racing participants, who love having him listen and have been encouraged by his manner.
V’landys had a lot on his plate in his final years at Racing NSW and had his style. There are plenty, who will tell you Hinton will be the same.
Maybe they should not be too quick to judge him because Hinton knows he is filling the biggest boots in Australian sport.
His knowledge and ability was on show in front of Senate committee into online gambling, where he was standout sitting next to Paul Eriksson from Racing Australia and Racing Victoria boss Aaron Morrison.
It was the reason why other racing PRA sounded him out about a move away from Sydney, but in the end he knows the business at Racing NSW better than anyone else.
The head of PRAs has unique challenges, and it is why at least three State racing bodies are looking for chief executives.
Hinton’s biggest challenge isn’t ability but winning over naysayers and getting the industry working together as one.
One for the punters
Perth mare Super Smink looks to be flying and should add a Group win from the east to resume in the next month. In The Nivison, which lacked any real speed, she got back in the ruck and never got into clear air. There are plenty of 1400m mares’ races coming up where there should be more tempo, which will be ideal for her.
One from the stewards
It’s tough to know who was right between Blake Shinn and the stewards, as Melbourne Cup winner Knight’s Choice looked unlucky in the Herbert Power Handicap. Shinn explained that he went to the outside of Future History because “he felt that both Machine Gun Gracie and Campaldino (NZ), which were in advance of Future History (GB), had set a fast tempo and that they would potentially weaken and shift ground, he was of the view that the best way to ride Knight’s Choice was to shift to the outside of Future History (GB), which he was able to do soon after straightening,” the stewards report read. Stewards felt a better option was to go back to the inside of Future History and noted that. But for stayers momentum is key and if he was held up at all would he have got as close as he did?
One for the bookies
Bridal Waltz makes her own luck in races in front, but she might have found her level as a sprinter. She is always going to have the advantage of being out in front, but as you rise in grade you need a change-up speed to see off challengers. She will continue to be well in the betting at Group level but will probably be under the odds as she struggles to find the line.
One for the futures
David Payne might have won the Gloaming Stakes with unbeaten filly Proxima Dea, but she will have to lookout for stablemate Persian Wonder come the Spring Champion Stakes in a couple of weeks. The gelding settled last in the Gloaming but found the line as good as anything in front of him and is still a $26 chance for the Group 1, where he will be favoured by the extra trip.
