Jockey’s surprise take on cruel $15m handicap

Typically in racing, barriers closer to the rail are more chance of winning, given the horse has less ground to cover and does not have to move across the rest of the field to find the best track.

But for top Kiwi jockey McDonald – who won this race on Nature Strip last year – he could not have asked for a better draw.

“It’s a brilliant draw, I couldn’t be happier,” McDonald said.

“It will mean (Nature Strip) is happy, he likes the room out there. With Nature Strip I would rather (barrier) 12 than one or two.

“It gives him time to find his rhythm and when he does that we have seen what he can do.”

Nature Strip jumped from gate 10 in last year’s Everest and quickly crossed the field to find the lead, then held off a late swoop from Masked Crusader to win by a nose.

Here’s everything you need to know about the 2022 Everest.

Nature Strip ready for Everest defence

WHEN AND WHERE IS IT?

The Everest will be run on Saturday at Royal Randwick, in eastern Sydney.

The race is set to jump at 4.15pm.

The first of the 10 races at Randwick on Saturday will jump at 12.30pm.

See below for the full race card.

HOW MUCH DO THEY WIN?

The total prizemoney pool for The Everest this year is $15 million.

The winner pockets $6.2m, second gets $2.3m, third gets $1.4m, fourth $1m, fifth $750,000, sixth $500,000, and the remainder of the field get $450,000 each.

The winnings for an individual horse are divided between the owners, the trainer, and the jockey.

When the race was first run in 2017 the total prizemoney was $10 million. It was increased to $13m the following year, then $14m in 2019, before hitting the $15m mark where it remains.

Nature Strip takes out $15 million Everest

The Everest is the richest turf race in the world.

The Everest is rather unique in that the 12 slots are sold for $600,000 each, and then the owner of each slot nominates a horse to fill their gate. Slots can also be sold and traded.

This differs from most horse races in which horses are simply nominated for an event by owners and trainer, and then allocated handicap weights based on their ability and form.

FULL 2022 EVEREST FIELD

1. NATURE STRIP (58.5kg, barrier 12, jockey James McDonald)

2. EDUARDO (58.5kg, barrier 9, jockey Nash Rawiller)

3. LOST AND RUNNING (58.5kg, barrier 7, jockey Hugh Bowman)

4. MASKED CRUSADER (58.5kg, barrier 10, jockey William Pike)

5. MAZU (58.5kg, barrier 11, jockey Sam Clipperton)

6. PRIVATE EYE (58.5kg, barrier 3, jockey Brenton Avdulla)

7. OVERPASS (58.5kg, barrier 6, jockey Rachel King)

8. INGRATIATING (58.5kg, barrier 4, jockey Glyn Schofield)

9. JOYFUL FORTUNE (58.5kg, barrier 1, jockey Tom Sherry)

10. SHADES OF ROSE (56.5kg, barrier 8, jockey Kerrin McEvoy)

11. JACQUINOT (53kg, barrier 2, jockey Damian Lane)

12. GIGA KICK (53kg, barrier 5, jockey Craig Williams)

EMERGENCIES: 13 Forbidden Love, 14 Apache Chase, 15 Kementari, 16 In The Congo

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THE ODDS

Via Bet365, correct at time of publishing

$2 Nature Strip

$11 Eduardo

$7 Lost And Running

$11 Jacquinot

$11 Masked Crusader

$13 Private Eye

$19 Mazu

$23 Giga Kick

$51 Shades Of Rose

$51 Ingratiating

$61 Overpass

$71 Joyful Fortune

$101 Kementari (emergency)

$101 Forbidden Love (emergency)

$101 In The Congo (emergency)

$201 Apache Chase (emergency)

THE WEATHER

While Sydney has copped its fair share of rain in the past fortnight, Saturday is forecast to be sunny and a top of 20 degrees.

On Thursday evening the Randwick track was rated a heavy 8.

Last Saturday’s race meeting at Randwick was abandoned due to rain.

If the race card is abandoned, the remaining races will be rescheduled to run another day, most likely Monday.

PAST WINNERS

2021 – Nature Strip (James McDonald)

2020 – Classique Legend (Kerrin McEvoy)

2019 – Yes Yes Yes (Glen Boss)

2018 – Redzel (Kerrin McEvoy)

2017 – Redzel (Kerrin McEvoy)

FULL RANDWICK CARD

Race 1: 12.30pm, 1400m Bisley Workwear Reginald Allen

Race 2: 1.05pm, 1600m Big Dance Wild Card

Race 3: 1.40pm, 1800m New Tab App Craven Plate

Race 4: 2.15pm, 2600m The Star St Leger Stakes

Race 5: 2.50pm, 1200m The Kosciuszko

Race 6: 3.25pm, 1200m Fujitsu General Sydney Stakes

Race 7: 4.15pm, 1200m The Tab Everest

Race 8: 4.50pm, 1300m Silver Eagle

Race 9: 5.30pm, 1500m Five Diamonds Prelude

Race 10: 6.10pm, 1600m Furphy Angst Stakes

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