The Everest Tips & Preview 2023

Adam Cusworth Adam Cusworth
The Everest Tips & Preview

Looking for The Everest tips and best bets? We dissect times and form to find the winner of the 2023 The Everest at Randwick.

THE EVEREST BETTING SNAPSHOT

The stars come out to play in the Everest and Think About It that is the favourite with NEDS after the barrier draw at the $4.50 quote with NEDS ahead of the the TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) winner, I Wish I Win, at $5.50. Private Eye is at $6, ahead of Cylinder at $8.50 and Overpass at $10. In Secret has been a market mover and is also at $10. 

The Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Hawaii Five Oh is at $12, while Buenos Noches is at $13 after placing 3rd behind Private Eye and Overpass in the Shorts (1100m) at Randwick a month ago. Espiona is one of three mares in the final field and is at $14, while the Golden Slipper (1200m) winner, Shinzo, heads the rest of the 12 contenders and the four emergencies at the $15 quote. 

THE EVEREST FORM ANALYSIS

The Shorts is one of the key lead up races and five contenders had their last start in the Randwick Group 2 that was held on September 16. They went very slow early on in that race before it developed into a sprint home from the 600m. 

Private Eye settled 5th and overcame a wide run to come home in 32.64 over the last 600m. The Joe Pride-trained galloper went just 3.5 lengths faster than standard benchmark but that was due to the slow early tempo. 

Overpass (2nd), Buenos Noches (3rd), In Secret (4th) and Mazu (9th) are the others to come out of the Shorts. Overpass led but was picked off late. Buenos Noches was held up in the straight before producing the fastest last 200m. In Secret started as a $3.10 chance and was worse than midfield before working home for 4th. Mazu had a torrid time at the back and finished 9th, beaten four lengths. 

I Wish I Win has not been seen since running home for 3rd behind Mr Brightside in the Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield six weeks ago. The Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained galloper has had a different preparation compared to others in the field in that he drops in distance but has had two runs in Sydney for a Golden Eagle (1500m) triumph last year, before winning the TJ Smith in the autumn. 

Memsie Stakes form has been franked with Mr Brightside and Alligator Blood going on to claim Group 1 races. I Wish I Win went 7.6 lengths faster than standard and is capable of raising the bar, having gone more than 10 lengths faster than standard in all of his other Australian runs. The downside is the inside barrier and whether or not the son of Savabeel will have time to wind up. 

Four runners come out of the Premiere Stakes (1200m) that was held at Randwick on September 30 with Think About It resuming with a win in the Group 2 race on Epsom day. Another from the Joe Pride stable, the five-year-old has won 10 of 11 starts and that in itself must be respected. Two of those were Group 1 wins, which came at Eagle Farm earlier in the year. 

Think About It settled handy in the Premiere Stakes before going 6.8 lengths faster than standard. His career personal best was 8.8 lengths faster than standard when winning the Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m) at Eagle Farm, which is the fourth lowest of those in the field. But he just keeps winning and will strip fitter for this. 

Hawaii Five Oh (2nd), Bella Nipotina (3rd), Alcohol Free (4th) and Zapateo (5th) were among the beaten brigade behind Think About It recently. Of that quartet, it is hard to see them challenging the winner here. Hawaii Five Oh produced the fastest last 200m. Bella Nipotina and Zapateo are both emergencies for the Everest. 

There are two horses aged three in the Everest this year and they are Cylinder and Shinzo. They will be out to join Yes Yes Yes (2019) and Giga Kick (2022) as youngsters to claim victory in the $20 million slot race. 

Cylinder came 3rd in the Golden Rose recently, going eight lengths faster than standard, while Shinzo was 9th. He was found to be lame in the aftermath. I suspect both will need to produce a personal best on benchmark figures to trouble some of the favoured runners. 

Espiona looks to have turned the corner. She looked to be a superstar after some dominant performances to open her career but didn’t quite fire in 2022. The Chris Waller mare has now won three of her past five starts and toyed with her rivals in the Golden Pendant (1400m) recently. She tackles open class but is capable. 

THE EVEREST TIPS AND BEST BETS

While they should go harder than some of the lead up races, it is hard to see where the pace will come from. Overpass is likely to take up the running, while Think About It, Mazu, Hawaii Five Oh and Cylinder are among those that can settle handy. Expect to see I Wish I Win, In Secret and Shinzo settling back. With those question marks in mind, I am keen on one that won’t be too far away in the run. I am not convinced that Think About It is the best horse in the race but the map certainly suits and we must respect his record for obvious reasons. Things should pan right out for him. Should they go harder, this brings the likes of In Secret and I Wish I Win into it. Best Value in the race is Espiona. She might just be fulfilling her potential and has an excellent turn of foot. Hoping Hugh Bowman can sit within striking distance and the pair can flash home late in the piece.