Seven-year-old mare Bella Nipotina has won the the world’s richest race on turf, the $20 million Everest (1200m) sprint at Royal Randwick with a sensational late burst.

Ridden by Craig Williams and trained by Ciaron Maher, Bella Nipotina raced wide on the pace and finished strongly in the straight to win narrowly from 2022 winner Giga Kick. Third home was Growing Empire, with Lady Of Camelot fourth.

Bella Nipotina was boldly taken forward from the widest gate of 12 and raced three-wide throughout before hanging on for a gritty triumph.

The daughter of Pride Of Dubai fended off the challenge of five-year-old gelding Giga Kick – who Williams rode to victory in this race two years ago – winning by 0.12 lengths, or around half a head.

Bella Nipotina started at $7.35 on the NSW tote, and earned connections $7 million with the victory. The mare hit the front halfway down the straight and had to hold off a late flurry from the runner up.

Trainer Ciaron Maher had a day to remember, saddling up both the winner and the third-placed Growing Empire. Godolphin colt Traffic Warden was a late scratching after becoming fractious in the starting gates.

Since first being run in 2017, The Everest has taken the Australian racing world by storm, but this was the first year it had been granted Group 1 status, the official top-tier status previously denied it due to its novel slot race format.

This year’s $20 million sprint was made up of 12 of the country’s best sprinters hand-picked by 12 different slot holders and was the most wide open in the race’s history.

It not only attracted its largest contingent of female runners – six of the 12 starters – but in Bella Nipotina, now has its first female winner, after no mare or filly had previously finished better than fifth.

Maher, who also trains Growing Empire, was emotional after his first win in the race, before a packed crowd at Randwick.

“She’s a beautiful horse to train,” he told Channel 7. “She’s been elite for the last five years and, yeah, it’s unbelievable.”