Review: Think About It's Spectacular Triumph At The 2023 Everest & Other Highlights From Randwick's Unforgettable Racing Day

The race didn’t disappoint the huge crowd, with the first five runners home all covered by just over a length, and any one of them could have won as they headed into the final 200m. The attitude of Think About It had won him the day in several of his prior races, and it would once more be his fighting nature that would see off the challengers and extend his record to 11 wins in 12 races.

It was an exceptional first and third for trainer Joseph Pride, whose Private Eye followed up his 2022 second to Giga Kick with another excellent effort. There are no plans for either to head off on a mission to race in another jurisdiction, which is a shame for racing fans. However, with so much prize money and prestige to race for at home, staying in Australia probably isn’t a hard decision for connections. 

It is fair to say that the majority of those in behind did nothing to harm their reputations, with I Wish I Win continuing to be one of the most consistent types in training over this type of distance in second. He does not know how to run a bad race, and connections must have been over the moon with him on ground that would have been quick enough.

Perhaps the one to take out of the contest as most likely to progress the most is the 4th, In Secret. The Godolphin filly had the worst draw in 12 and was forced to tuck in at the back of the field before being pulled out for her challenge.

The fact that she got as close as she did is a huge testament to her natural ability, and she is very much a massive player in similar 1200m contests for the remainder of the season. With a better draw to work from, she may well have won. It will be interesting to see how she shapes with a kinder barrier next time.

With the 12 runners entering the race via slots that are bought, it is a concept that is rarely seen but has helped the race gain traction in the last couple of years. This was also partly helped when Nature Strip, the 2021 race winner, went to Royal Ascot to blitz the King’s Stand field. That gave the race recognition in what is regarded as the most historic jurisdiction and created more worldwide buzz for the race.

Fangirl Lands The King Charles III Stakes

Although it is known as Everest Day, and that is the big race on the card, there was an excellent supporting card to go along with it. The first running of the King Charles III Stakes over 1600m saw the first prize of $3 million head to the Chris Waller yard courtesy of Fangirl.

She is the type who needs things to drop right for her, but when she gets a strong pace to chase, as she did on this occasion, she is one of the top milers on the planet. Mr Brightside was the favourite - the Melbourne raider had been carrying all before him over this distance so far this season, but the mare blew him away.

Mr Brightside had been a perfect 3/3 on the season ahead of the visit to Sydney, so the way he was brushed aside by more than two and a half lengths was visually spectacular. It will be interesting to see what is next on Fangirl's agenda because when things are set up well for her, she will prove to be very hard to beat.

Front Page Goes Back-To-Back In The Kosciuszko

The third major race on the card was the Kosciuszko, another 1200m contest. Restricted to ‘country trained’ horses, none of the major stables are represented here, with the smaller yards given the chance to pick up a massive pot with $1 million to the winning horse.

Front Page got his head in front in the race for the second consecutive year, becoming the first dual winner of the contest. He had won the 2022 race for Geoff Duryea, making his first start for Matthew Dale this year, which makes his success even more remarkable. He had not managed to get his head in front in the year between wins, so he bounced back at the perfect time for connections.

More impressive again was the fact that he made just about every yard of the running with those who were held up filling the places behind him. The others who had tried to live with the early fractions faded well out of contention, which marks the win as even more impressive than the almost two-length margin already was.

The afternoon began with a winner for the UK as James Ferguson’s Land Legend won the 2600m St Leger Stakes with lots in hand over the ex-Joseph O’Brien inmate Cleveland. While Fangirl was the big winner on the day for Chris Waller, he also had 14/1 shot Vienna Princess take home the 1300m Golden Eagle. She beat a smart field, including star mares Pericles and Benedetta, in a race that will prove to be a strong form guide to follow.

All these races would always play second fiddle to the Everest, no matter who won it. For the sake of racing, having the richest sprint race in the world won by a horse with a record like Think About It was perfect. We all need the stars of the sport to step up in the big races and show why they are worth taking to our hearts. We can now all look forward to the 2024 Everest and another pulsating renewal.