World’s best horse draws tough gate as $20m Everest ‘unknown’ remains
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Ka Ying Rising has drawn a tough wide gate as the world’s best horse prepares to go back-to-back in The Everest in potentially wet conditions.
The champion Hong Kong sprinter won the $20 million race at Randwick last year and is back for another tilt, with gun jockey Zac Purton again booked to ride.
Zac Purton on board Ka Ying Rising. Getty Images
The six-year-old gelding is rated a short-priced $1.35 favourite with bookmakers and has won 21 races in a row, but will be forced to come out of barrier 11.
The main query for Ka Ying Rising’s pursuit of a second-straight Everest triumph is the track conditions and wet weather – but according to trainer David Hayes, the potential for softer ground at Randwick won’t be a major problem.
“I feel like I know every weatherman in Sydney,” he told 9News Sydney on Tuesday.
“If the track is heavy, it’s a bit of an unknown. I’m very confident he can handle a slow or dead track and of course, if we get a good track by some fluke, he’d be a good chance of breaking the [track time] record.”
After the draw, Hayes seemed upbeat about the wide gate, which many would see as a negative, due to Ka Ying Rising’s pre-race temperament.
“I can only speak for Zac and he really wanted to draw not one or seven, because he goes in first because of the way they do it here [in Sydney]” Hayes said.
“He can be a little bit touchy in the gates, so I would say Purton will be pretty happier with the barrier, because he goes in late and jumps and gets going.”
Tempted, who is seen as the main danger to Ka Ying Rising in the 12-horse field, has drawn barrier one for this Saturday’s race.
Giga Kick, who won The Everest four years ago, will jump from the widest barrier.
Among the other high-profile runners includes the Chris Waller-trained Joliestar and four-time Group 1 winner Jimmysstar.
The race headlines a cracking card at Randwick that also includes the King Charles III Stakes, while the Caulfield Cup is also set for Saturday afternoon.
The Everest 2026 final field and barrier draw
- 1 - KA YING RISING (11) - J: Zac Purton - T: David Hayes
- 2 - GIGA KICK (12) - J: Dylan Gibbons - T: Clayton Douglas
- 3 - JIMMYSSTAR (8) - J: Nash Rawiller - T: Ciaron Maher
- 4 - ANGEL CAPITAL (2) - J: Ben Melham - T: Chris Waller
- 5 - HEADWALL (6) - J: Kerrin McEvoy - T: Matthew Smith
- 6 - CABALLUS (10) - J: Tim Clark - T: Bjorn Baker
- 7 - JOLIESTAR (5) - J: James McDonald - T: Chris Waller
- 8 - SPICY MARTINI (4) - J: Taylor Marshall - T: Toby Edmonds
- 9 - SAVVY HALLIE (7) - J: Zac Lloyd - T: Brad Widdup
- 10 - TEMPTED (1) - J: Chad Schofield - T: Ciaron Maher
- 11 - NINJA (3) - J: Tommy Berry - T: Michael Freedman
- 12 - BLUE DOOR (9) - J: Jamie Melham - T: Bjorn Baker
