Runner-by-runner guide to the 2026 Everest

Your guide to finding a winner in the 2026 Everest at Royal Randwick Racecourse on Saturday, 17 October.

1. Ka Ying Rising

Trainer: David Hayes
Jockey: Zac Purton
Slot-holder: Hong Kong Jockey Club (leased from ATC)
Barrier: 11
Weight: 58.5kg
TAB: $1.50

Seemingly unbeatable for so long, Ka Ying Rising’s stranglehold on the race has been loosening slightly, in the public view at least, as the Everest nears. Sound familiar? Last year, it was a plain trial effort behind Linebacker and Overpass that sparked speculation the Hong Kong superstar had not handled the trip for his first overseas mission and test away from the pristine Sha Tin surface. He still won by a length and a quarter, even though Hayes and Purton said he was below his best. This year, a likely wet track is the question mark as he returns as the world’s highest-rated horse with another four Sha Tin track records and lessons learned from last time. His lone Randwick trial, held on a soft 7, was better, but again he was shaded, this time by Ninja. The six-year-old, expected to take his winning streak to 22 on Saturday and prizemoney past $37 million, has raced just once on rain-affected going, and won. Hayes has concerns about a genuine heavy Randwick track, which seems a real possibility, but he has also seen his star power through slush in trials. A wide draw is another factor, but his early speed should overcome that. New challenges, but class usually prevails.

2. Jimmysstar

Trainer: Ciaron Maher
Jockey: Nash Rawiller
Slot-holder: TAB
Barrier: 8
Weight: 58.5kg
TAB: $13

Third last year despite a wide gate and run, Jimmysstar appeared a logical choice for another Everest, especially after winning the Russell Balding and CF Orr Stakes at his next two starts. However, connections of the seven-year-old were weighing up other options after he finished five lengths away in the Memsie Stakes (1400m), before he was back to his best at 1200m when winning the Manikato last start to lock in another Everest with TAB. He has performed well on wet tracks, with five wins and four placings in 13 runs, including victory on a soft 7 at Randwick in the Russell Balding, but he is yet to tackle heavy ground. Rawiller is a quality replacement for Ethan Brown in the saddle and a kind run and hot tempo should have the winner of $10 million in the money again.

3. Giga Kick

Trainer: Clayton Douglas
Jockey: Dylan Gibbons
Slot-holder: Coolmore
Barrier: 12
Weight: 58.5kg
TAB: $34

A biennial Everest specialist, Giga Kick returns for a third go at the race after winning in 2022 and finishing runner-up in 2024. Now seven, the earner of more than $15.5 million was a late replacement for Coolmore’s injured $30 million stallion prospect Guest House. He has been 10th in the Moir Stakes and eighth in the Manikato Stakes this time in, but he has fired third up at Randwick before, winning the All Aged Stakes and finishing second in the TJ Smith Stakes. A wet track could be an advantage, given he won the Champions Sprint on a heavy track last spring and was second in the 2023 TJ in his other run on it. The extreme outside draw looks a disadvantage, but runners coming down the outside might have an edge late in the day on a heavy, turn up track.

4. Angel Capital

Trainer: Chris Waller
Jockey: Ben Melham
Slot-holder: Yulong Investments (owner)
Barrier: 2
Weight: 58.5kg
TAB: $51

Strangely the last confirmed starter for the race, the enigmatic stallion prospect for Yulong will run in his second Everest, this time for his owners. The five-year-old Harry Angel entire looked the likely pick for Yulong after running through the line strongly for sixth, two lengths away, last year for slot-holder James Harron, before snaring a long-awaited group 1 last start in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes a month ago at 1400m. Confirmation, though, did not come until Monday. Perhaps connections had an eye on the forecast, as well as their other options, such as three-year-old colt Paradoxium, which faded to fourth in the Roman Consul. Often a tease for punters with his late surges to the line without winning, Angel Capital thrived on dry ground last start but has never raced on heavy going and has only a debut win on a soft 5 Cranbourne track to show from four goes on anything but good. Talented, but he will get back and 1400m appears his best distance. The inside gate should at least give him an economical trip in the running line.

5. Caballus

Trainer: Bjorn Baker
Jockey: Tim Clark
Slot-holder: James Harron Bloodstock
Barrier: 10
Weight: 58.5kg
TAB: $151

The penultimate pick for the field, the six-year-old Darby Racing gelding was a surprise choice last Friday for some after finishing fifth, almost four lengths off Tempted, when first-up in the Premiere Stakes. The group 1 Newmarket winner, though, has an exceptional second-up record of four wins in five attempts and is a tough, seasoned campaigner after coming back from a bleeding attack at Scone last year to break through at the top level. A wet track looks to be no help. He has won three times on soft going but all of those were on a five and his only try on heavy was an eighth in the Champions Sprint last November at Flemington. The wide gate is another obstacle, although he may be able to follow stablemate and expected front-runner Blue Door, drawn in nine, across.

6. Headwall

Trainer: Matthew Smith
Jockey: Kerrin McEvoy
Slot-holders: Max Whitby, Neil Werrett, Col Madden and Steve McCann
Barrier: 6
Weight: 58.5kg
TAB: $51

Looks over the odds after two excellent runs this preparation. The seven-year-old returned after a year out with a pastern injury to rattle home after finding trouble and finish a half-length behind Tempted in the Concorde Stakes (1000m), a race he won in 2025. He was then strong again late when a length away from front-running winner Mazu in The Shorts (1100m). A solid tempo and an extra 100m could have him in the mix again. Rain could enhance his chances. He easily won both runs on heavy tracks, although one was on debut at Newcastle and the other was a midweek benchmark race for five-year-olds and above. He also has finished top three in all four soft-track runs, but he hasn’t raced on a wet track in more than two years. Smith was pleased with the middle draw, which should give McEvoy the chance to find a spot closer in the run.

7. Ninja

Trainer: Michael Freedman
Jockey: Tommy Berry
Slot-holder: Fairway Thoroughbreds (part-owner)
Barrier: 3
Weight: 58.5kg
TAB: $19

The first officially locked in for the Everest, Ninja was selected by part-owner John Camilleri, the man famous for breeding Winx, off his 1200m Missile Stakes win in August. The first-up victory over Napoleonic and Angel Capital followed a three-year-old season featuring wins in the Vo Rogue Plate (1300m) and Hobartville (1400m), and a luckless second in the Magic Millions Guineas (1400m). Typically an on-pace runner which can absorb pressure, he made up decent ground after a run wide and back in the Shorts, when already in the Everest, but his stocks rose in an October 6 trial when going to the line just ahead of Ka Ying Rising on a soft 7 surface. A wet track could bring him further into calculations. The Farnan gelding has won twice on heavy ground, although those came at his second and third starts against inferior company at 1300m. The handy draw in three will give Berry options on the versatile galloper, who could push forward. Regardless of the result, Ninja is bound to be popular with punters, given micro-syndicators MyRacehorse are 50 per cent owners with 1701 shareholders.

8. Joliestar

Trainer: Chris Waller
Jockey: James McDonald
Slot-holder: Chris Waller Racing and partners
Barrier: 5
Weight: 56.5kg
TAB: $17

Australia’s champion sprinter from last season, Joliestar lines up for a third and final Everest in his trainer’s slot after an impressive return in The Shorts (1100m) when running Mazu to a neck. The six-year-old mare, set to retire with owners Cambridge Stud at the end of this season, was pencilled in for the Everest, if she rebounded from her UK trip, where she was a close third in the Queen Elizabeth Jubilee Stakes. The five-time group 1 winner was seventh in 2024 and fifth last year in the Everest, finishing a length and a half away each time. She was the same margin away in her only heavy-track run, when third in last year’s Champions Sprint (1200m) at Flemington. Consistent performer and will be finishing well again with any luck from the favourable draw and the world’s highest-rated jockey aboard.

9. Tempted

Trainer: Ciaron Maher
Jockey: Chad Schofield
Slot-holder: Godolphin (owner)
Barrier: 1
Weight: 56.5kg
TAB: $5

The main challenger since finishing second to Ka Ying Rising last year, Tempted has added spice to the contest with scintillating wins at her past two starts when the four-year-old has swept past her rivals in the blink of an eye in the Concorde (1000m) and Premiere Stakes (1200m). Unbeaten in five starts since the Everest, where she carried just 51kg and gained a gun run from barrier one, Tempted is also four from four on soft ground, making her an even greater threat with this week’s rain. She has no doubt improved since last year, but she needs to, given she carries an extra 5.5kg this time around and faces a champion which has also risen the bar. The draw in one could be a blessing, like last year, or a curse, if the inside becomes hard going in the wet and she is denied room. Still, if they go too hard up front and she finds clear air, she will be the one to watch for late.

10. Spicy Martini

Trainer: Toby Edmonds
Jockey: Taylor Marshall
Slot-holder: Inglis
Barrier: 4
Weight: 56.5kg
TAB: $41

An $8000 online buy for Queensland trainer Edmonds, the Queensland mare continued a fairytale run when she gained a call-up from Inglis after a tough effort for fourth in the Shorts (1100m). The five-year-old, with six wins in 13 starts and $2.7 million in earnings, worked forward to race in third spot in the Shorts before sticking on well to finish three-quarters of a length away. The return followed a dream winter campaign at home, which took in victory in the group 1 Stradbroke and second in the Doomben 10,000. Long odds here, but she has won two from three on heavy tracks, including the Stradbroke, and can feature in the top half with the right set-up, especially after drawing well.

11. Savvy Hallie

Trainer: Brad Widdup
Jockey: Zac Lloyd
Slot-holder: Mulberry Racing
Barrier: 7
Weight: 56.5kg
TAB: $81

The four-year-old mare appeared a highly unlikely Everest candidate when she finished last first-up in the Toy Show Quality (1100m), but she has since put herself in the picture with a return to her on-pace best with a front-running win in the Sheraco Stakes (1200m) then second to Tempted in the Premiere (1200m). She is not owned by slot-holders Mulberry Racing, but she is trained by the operation’s head trainer, which has also obviously helped her gain a run. Mulberry had a slot for the first time last year, after taking over from the Star, and its own horse, Jedibeel, finished 11th. Savvy Hallie is another long-shot chance, but she appears a better prospect, especially if the surface is heavy. She has two wins and a second in three heavy-track runs, and she came the closest to beating Tempted since last year’s Everest, when almost stealing the Surround Stakes (1400m) on a soft 6. Drawn awkwardly in seven but she has speed.

12. Blue Door

Trainer: Bjorn Baker
Jockey: Jamie Melham
Slot-holder: Newgate and GPI Racing
Barrier: 9
Weight: 51kg
TAB: $26

Larrikin millionaire John Singleton’s front-running filly was snapped up quickly for the Everest after winning the 1100m Heritage Stakes in sharp time last start, and she looks set to give her older opposition something to chase. The daughter of Stay Inside showed her potential with victory in the Kindergarten Stakes over the exciting The Next Episode in her only two-year-old run, and she returned with seconds to Chilly Girl and track record-breaker Guest House after setting the pace over 1100m at Rosehill. Carrying just 51 kilograms, the only three-year-old in the field has a significant advantage at the weight against all her rivals, but the question will be how she handles the extra distance against seasoned sprinters after racing only at 1100m across her four starts. She will also have to likely work that bit harder to get in front after drawing wide. Her Kindergarten Stakes win was on a soft 7 at Randwick, so a wet track may not be a negative.

Emergencies: 13. Overpass (Bjorn Baker), 14. Charm Stone (Mick Price and Michael Kent jnr), 15. Marhoona (Michael Freedman), 16. Skybird (Mitch Freedman).