A six-pack of stakes races will pop Friday night at Rosehill, as the US$59 million Sydney Everest carnival draws closer to its showpiece event. Blockbuster developments have seen the field and critical riding assignments finalized for next week’s The Everest, the world’s richest turf race. Rosehill’s first post this Friday night is 9:35 p.m. EDT, 6:35 PDT. Enjoy live on skyracingworld.com and FanDuel TV. 

Before The Everest comes the Hill. Friday night’s US$1.4 million Hill Stakes has attracted the third- and fourth-place finishers in last week’s Group 1 Epsom Handicap. Royal Patronage (5-2) obviously has adapted splendidly to Australia racing, where horses race far more regularly than in the northern hemisphere. The multiple graded-stakes winner in England, who won a Keeneland allowance when trained in the U.S. by Graham Motion, will make his fourth Australia start in a five-week span. Kovalica (5-1) has teased in 13 races since a Group 1 victory in May, 2023. Last week in the Epsom, a hole closed on him at the 1/8-pole when Kovalica was about to dive into the fray. 

Apart from the quick turnaround, both horses will have to overcome Pericles (3-1), who will look to reverse frustrating results last weekend for Godolphin. The “blue army” lodged an unsuccessful objection in the Metropolitan Handicap (G1) after Zardozi gallantly lost an exhilarating stretch duel. Meanwhile, Tom Kitten covered more ground than Lewis and Clark when a brave second in the aforementioned Epsom Handicap. Ironically, Pericles was to fly Godolphin’s flag in the Epsom but was withdrawn when trainer James Cummings felt he was unfairly weighted in the prestigious handicap race. Cummings believes that Pericles is better suited under the conditions of Friday night’s Hill Stakes, race 7.

Godolphin was one of this week’s news breakers in a hectic few days of developments pertaining to The Everest. As a slot holder for the US$13.5 million race, the global powerhouse is still searching for a breakthrough win in the elite six-furlong sprint. Godolphin has confirmed that Traffic Warden, by Street Boss, the same U.S. sire as Pericles, will carry the world-famous royal blue silks. Cummings declared that the 3-year-old colt has come through his close second-place finish in the Golden Rose (G1) “brilliantly, and third-up (from a layoff) he will be ready to peak Everest Day.”

The Everest field was finalized with the addition of another 3-year-old, Growing Empire, who has made waves in Melbourne throughout a brief but electrifying career that resembles the ascendancy of 2022 The Everest winner, Giga Kick. Following an injury-enforced year-long layoff, Giga Kick has been working his way back to fitness and prominence, but not sufficiently to woo champion Sydney jockey James McDonald, who has officially declined the option. J-Mac committed to the Chris Waller-trained mare Joliestar, after riding her in a star-studded “training race” earlier this week. Joliestar worked home well and galloped out beautifully behind The Everest rivals Lady of Camelot, Private Eye and Sunshine In Paris. Lady of Camelot, winner of last season’s Golden Slipper, the world’s richest 2-year-old race, will have a new rider in Rachel King. Horse and jockey will strive to become the first females to win The Everest since the race’s inception in 2017. 

Kerrin McEvoy, who won three of the first four runnings, has been enlisted to ride the Growing Empire. Other key riding assignments involve Mark Zahra taking the open mount on Giga Kick and Brenton Avdulla returning from Hong Kong to partner Coolmore’s Storm Boy. The 2024 renewal of The Everest next Friday night will feature a record number of 3-year-olds and fillies/mares. The final field comprises I Wish I Win, Private Eye, Giga Kick, Bella Nipotina, Stefi Magnetica, Sunshine In Paris, I Am Me, Joliestar, Lady of Camelot, Storm Boy, Traffic Warden and Growing Empire.

About Michael Wrona

A native of Brisbane, Australia, Michael Wrona has called races in six countries. Michael’s vast U.S. experience includes race calling at Los Alamitos, Hollywood Park, Arlington and Santa Anita, calling the 2000 Preakness on a national radio network and the 2016 Breeders’ Cup on the International simulcast network. Michael also performed a race-call voiceover for a Seinfeld episode called The Subway.