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| Staff Writer |
The 2024 Everest Day at Royal Randwick delivered high drama and unforgettable performances, with Bella Nipotina stealing the show in the US$15.7 million The Everest. However, the day's events were profoundly marked by the shocking collapse and subsequent recovery of former Everest winner Think About It, whose brush with death cast a sobering shadow over the prestigious race meeting.
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Jockey Craig Williams produced a tactical masterclass aboard Bella Nipotina, defying expectations by sending the mare forward from her wide draw. The decision proved inspired as Bella Nipotina found herself in a perfect striking position throughout the 1200m contest.
"I couldn't do it without the performance of Bella," Williams said. "We drew 12, we were hoping for more rain, but the track was to her liking. Ciaron said, 'Let's just trust her.'"
The victory was particularly sweet for Williams, who had been replaced on Giga Kick after piloting him to Everest glory in 2022. This time, he denied his former mount a second win in a thrilling finish.
Giga Kick, under Mark Zahra, ran a gallant race in second, with jockey Zahra commenting, "He has run enormous. He was trying that hard it was like he hit himself at the 50m. Good effort by the horse, beaten by a better horse on the day."
3YO Growing Empire showed tremendous potential with a brave third-place finish after racing prominently throughout. Kerrin McEvoy, aboard Growing Empire, said, "Brilliant run. He has put forward a great performance to hold third. He has the attributes of a quality sprinter going forward."
The jubilation of Ceolwulf's victory was tempered by the earlier incident involving Think About It in the Sydney Stakes. The 2023 Everest winner collapsed dramatically in the home straight, initially sparking fears for his life.
Miraculously, Think About It regained his feet after several anxious minutes. Pride later confirmed that the horse had suffered a significant pulmonary haemorrhage but had recovered sufficiently to walk back to his stall.
"Thankfully Think About It is well," Pride said. "We will get him home and take good care of him. I doubt we'll ever see him race again, but the main thing is that he's got all four feet on the ground."
On October 20, it was announced that Think About It would be retired from racing. One of the owners, Proven Thoroughbreds, stated on social media, "After a significant pulmonary haemorrhage, our great horse bravely stood to his feet and soon after was walking back to his stall, once again showing how tough he is."
They added, "At least, there is something poetic about cheating death 12 months to the day from his Everest triumph."
Jamie Walter provided a further update, saying, "He seems fine this morning after a massive bleed. A huge shock & distressing to see him collapse like that. They don't often get to their feet after a haemorrhage of such magnitude."
The much-anticipated Kiwi challenge failed to materialise, with favourites Joliestar and I Wish I Win both finishing unplaced. Joliestar, who started as favourite, found herself too far back early and could only manage seventh place despite a strong late surge.
James McDonald, riding Joliestar, reflected, "She has run enormous. From where she was in the race, she found that first furlong a little bit quick to muster speed and got shuffled back at a crucial stage. She rattled home really well."
I Wish I Win had an even tougher day, finishing last after encountering early trouble. Connections are hoping the gelding pulls up well, with no obvious signs of injury reported immediately after the race.
The Gr.1 US$3.9 million King Charles III Stakes provided a fitting sequel to The Everest, with Ceolwulf confirming his status as an emerging superstar. The Joe Pride-trained 4YO produced a devastating turn of foot to run down the brave frontrunner Pride Of Jenni in the final strides of the 1600m contest, setting the Randwick crowd alight with a performance that will long be remembered.
Jockey Chad Schofield timed his run to perfection, allowing Ceolwulf to settle well off the strong pace set by Pride Of Jenni. As the field turned for home, Ceolwulf was still giving away a significant start to the leader, but Schofield remained calm, knowing the son of All Too Hard had a scintillating finish in his arsenal. When asked for his effort in the straight, Ceolwulf responded with a burst of acceleration that saw him eat up the ground, reeling in the leader to win by three-quarters of a length in a thrilling climax.
"It was just an amazing race, it was always going to be," Schofield said, still catching his breath after the pulsating finish. "He didn't step that well with me but I just let him find that rhythm. He travelled so well on the inside of Fangirl. I was going better than her at the 400m, I just had to wait for her to go and I came off her heels. He had so much work to do but again he just gave me that devastating turn of foot. It's probably a changing of the guard. He's the new one – he's a machine."
Pride was overwhelmed with emotion after the victory, which came just over an hour after his 2023 Everest winner Think About It had suffered a frightening fall in an earlier race. The trainer's rollercoaster of emotions was evident as he struggled to put his feelings into words.
"An absolute rollercoaster today," Pride said, his voice thick with emotion. "As if last year the same day wasn't enough. You get a little bit numb as a trainer because if you felt every up and down, it'd send you around the bend. I'm overwhelmed because of what happened earlier with Think About It then to experience that win by Ceolwulf, I am out of words."
Pride Of Jenni, under Declan Bates, ran a tremendous race in defeat, setting a strong tempo from the outset and fighting gamely all the way to the line. The mare's front-running tactics nearly paid off, and for a moment in the straight, it looked as though she might hold on for a famous victory. Owner Tony Ottobre was full of praise for his mare's courageous effort, saying, "She was very brave. I was proud of her effort."
The well-backed Fangirl, attempting to go back-to-back in the King Charles after her triumph in 2023, could only manage sixth place. Her below-par performance added another layer of intrigue to a race that showcased the depth and quality of Australia's middle-distance ranks.
As Ceolwulf returned to scale amid rapturous applause, Pride was already looking to the future, hinting at even greater targets for his new stable star. "I think I am going to have to put him in the paddock, I don't think my heart can handle too much more of this," the trainer said with a wry smile. "There is so much more to come with this horse. He's only lightly-raced and he's on the improve, he keeps getting better. I've been confident he's on that path towards being one of the best horses around. After today, he's there. He's on his way, I think he's already a star."
With this victory, Ceolwulf not only claimed his second consecutive Group One win, following his triumph in the Epsom Handicap, but also stamped himself as a genuine contender for next year's Cox Plate. As the racing world marvelled at his performance, it was clear that a new star had been born on an Everest Day that will live long in the memory of all who witnessed it.
The US$1.57 million The Kosciuszko, a showcase for country-trained horses, saw Far Too Easy live up to his name with a dominant victory. Trained by David McColm, the gelding's win was made all the more remarkable by the fact that he had been gravely ill earlier in the year.
"My dream has come true and not just for us, for this horse, he's been such a special animal to all of us and he deserves his name in the Kosciuszko record books," McColm said. "We've been through a lot with this horse, he's had his ups and downs. This year he got very ill and I never ever thought we'd be back for another Kosciuszko tilt."
Far Too Easy, ridden by Craig Williams, stalked the pace before unleashing a powerful finish to defeat two-time defending champion Front Page by 2-1/4 lengths. The victory was a testament to the horse's fighting spirit and McColm's patient handling.
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The Group Three US$785,000 Silver Eagle, a key lead-up to the US$7.85 million Golden Eagle, saw Ostraka announce himself as a serious contender for the rich feature. The Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald-trained gelding made all the running under a perfectly judged ride from Blake Shinn.
Shinn took the initiative from a wide draw, sending Ostraka straight to the front in the 1300m contest. The son of Pariah never looked like relinquishing his lead, holding off the late challenges of Xidaki and War Machine to score by half a length.
"He (Shinn) came out with a plan today and said, 'look, if we want to win the race, we're going to have to go forward', and that's what he did," Archibald said. "He relaxed beautifully in front, and full credit to the horse. He's able to do it off-speed."
The victory has put Ostraka firmly in the Golden Eagle picture, with connections now seriously considering a tilt at the US$7.85 million race on November 2 at Rosehill Gardens.
"He is possibly a little query over 1500 (metres), but he's won over 1400 before, so I think with the prizemoney on offer, we'll certainly give him that opportunity, I would guess," Archibald said.
As the dust settles on an action-packed Everest Day, the racing world now turns its attention to the upcoming spring features, with the likes of Ceolwulf, Far Too Easy, and Ostraka all staking their claims for further Group One glory. The day will be remembered not only for the thrilling performances on the track but also for the heart-stopping drama and ultimate relief surrounding Think About It's incident, a stark reminder of the highs and lows that define this great sport.