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Our Everest 2026 tips: Ka Ying Rising is our best bet from barrier 11 if the Heavy 8 track holds, with Tempted the danger from the rail.
The Everest 2026. The world’s richest race on turf, a $20 million sprint over 1200m at Royal Randwick, runs on Saturday 17 October 2026. This is our complete Everest guide: the 2026 date and start times, how the slot system works, the field, tips and best bets, live odds, the form guide, how to watch, past winners and FAQs: updated through the spring with the latest slots, field, odds and our best bets.
🏆 Race-eve update, 16 October: Randwick has been rated between Soft 7 and Heavy 8 this week after 66mm of rain. Ka Ying Rising ($1.40), on a 22-race winning streak, is our best bet; Tempted from the rail is the danger.
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The Everest 2026: Key Details
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Race | The Everest (Group 1) |
| Date | Saturday 17 October 2026 |
| Start time | ~4:15pm AEDT (confirmed race week) |
| Venue | Royal Randwick, Sydney |
| Distance | 1200m |
| Format | 12-slot weight-for-age sprint |
| Prize money | $20 million (world’s richest turf race) |
| Broadcast | Sky Racing, Racing.com + free bookmaker live streams |
Also on Everest Day: King Charles III Stakes. The same Saturday in Melbourne: Caulfield Cup and Thousand Guineas.
When is The Everest & What Time?
The Everest is run in mid-to-late October on Everest Day at Royal Randwick, in 2026 that’s Saturday 17 October, with the race jumping mid-afternoon (approximately 4:15pm AEDT; the exact time is confirmed race week). Local start times by state:
| State | Local start time |
|---|---|
| VIC / NSW / ACT / TAS | ~4:15pm AEDT |
| Queensland | ~3:15pm AEST |
| South Australia | ~3:45pm ACDT |
| Northern Territory | ~2:45pm ACST |
| Western Australia | ~1:15pm AWST |
Everest Day now runs alongside Melbourne’s Caulfield Cup, the 150th running in 2026, which jumps about an hour later at around 5:15pm AEDT. The two form the richest Saturday of the Australian spring.
How The Everest Works (The Slot System)
The Everest is unlike any other major race: there are no nominations or ballot. Instead, 12 slots are sold to slot-holders (who pay a six-figure annual fee to secure a starting position for a three-year term), and each slot-holder then partners with a horse, either their own or via a deal with connections, who share the prize money. Slots are confirmed through September and the runners are announced as each slot locks in its horse, so the field firms in the weeks before the race. The $20 million purse is shared across the slot-holder, owner, trainer and jockey, with the winning slot taking the lion’s share. Which is why securing the right runner is the whole game.
The Everest 2026 Field & Barrier Draw
The Everest field is capped at 12 runners, one per slot, with no emergencies. The final field of twelve and the barriers were released on Tuesday 13 October. On the barrier draw, the Randwick 1200m starts on the chute into a sweeping turn; on-pace, naturally fast types from a fair gate are advantaged, and you want a runner that can hold a forward position in a small, elite, fast-run sprint.
The 2026 Everest final field and barriers
| Barrier | Horse | Trainer | Jockey |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tempted | Ciaron Maher | Chad Schofield |
| 2 | Angel Capital | Chris Waller | Ben Melham |
| 3 | Ninja | Michael Freedman | Tommy Berry |
| 4 | Spicy Martini | Toby Edmonds | Taylor Marshall |
| 5 | Joliestar | Chris Waller | James McDonald |
| 6 | Headwall | Matthew Smith | Kerrin McEvoy |
| 7 | Savvy Hallie | Brad Widdup | Zac Lloyd |
| 8 | Jimmysstar | Ciaron Maher | Nash Rawiller |
| 9 | Blue Door | Bjorn Baker | Jamie Melham |
| 10 | Caballus | Bjorn Baker | Tim Clark |
| 11 | Ka Ying Rising | David Hayes | Zac Purton |
| 12 | Giga Kick | Clayton Douglas | Dylan Gibbons |
Reading the draw. The two headline runners drew the extremes. Ka Ying Rising, the defending champion, is wide in barrier 11, while Tempted, unbeaten in five starts this year, is on the rail in barrier 1, the same gate she had when she was runner-up in 2025. Ninja (3), Joliestar (5) and Headwall (6) drew well, and Jimmysstar (8), Blue Door (9), Caballus (10) and Giga Kick (12) are further out. Angel Capital, who drew barrier 2, is the only entire in the race.
Weather. Heavy rain fell in Sydney during the draw, and the track is a bigger worry than the gate for Ka Ying Rising’s trainer David Hayes, who said a Heavy 9 would concern him. Ka Ying Rising is still the favourite, and Tempted is the main danger. All twelve riders are now booked: Ben Melham rides Angel Capital, Kerrin McEvoy rides Headwall and Zac Lloyd rides Savvy Hallie.
The Everest 2026 Lead-Up Form
The slots fill on the back of the September sprints at Randwick, and the most important of them has now been run. The Shorts (Group 2, 1100m, Randwick) on 19 September is the traditional Everest trial, and it produced an upset.
| The Shorts, 19 September | Result |
|---|---|
| 1st | Mazu ($19.00, Rachel King, Joseph Pride) |
| 2nd | Joliestar ($3.70, James McDonald, Chris Waller), beaten a neck |
| 3rd | King’s Secret ($16.00, Andrew Adkins, Joseph Pride), a nose away |
Mazu is an eight-year-old and was first-up. He led, was never seriously challenged for the front, and held on from Joliestar by a neck with stablemate King’s Secret a nose back in third, giving Joseph Pride first and third in the race. Joliestar was the horse most of the market was watching and she ran to her price without winning.
The honest caveat: winning The Shorts usually puts a sprinter into Everest calculations, but Pride has publicly played down the idea of chasing a slot with Mazu. So the form line matters more than the winner does. If Mazu does not run, the most useful read from the race is that Joliestar handled a genuinely fast-run 1100m at the track and went down by the barest margin to a horse that got an uncontested lead. That is a different sort of defeat to being beaten on merit.
Mazu is not among the twelve runners, so the form line matters more than the winner, as flagged above. Tempted, confirmed for Godolphin, earned her place with a dominant win in the Group 2 Premiere Stakes, and Caballus, who took the James Harron Bloodstock slot, won the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap at Flemington.
The Everest Tips, Best Bets & Predictions
Best bet: Ka Ying Rising to win ($1.40). The defending champion is the class of the race by a distance and has drawn barrier 11, which is wide but workable for a horse with his speed in a field of twelve. The real question is the track. Randwick has been rated between Soft 7 and Heavy 8 this week after 66mm of rain, with the rail out 3m, and he has rarely raced on a rain-affected track. Trainer David Hayes is comfortable up to a Soft 7 but has said a Heavy 9 would worry him. He arrives on a 22-race winning streak. If the track is a Soft 7 or better on race morning, he is the bet; if it is downgraded into the heavy range, the price is too short to take.
Main danger: Tempted ($4.50 to $5). She is unbeaten in five starts this year, was second in this race from the same rail gate in 2025, and Ka Ying Rising’s jockey Zac Purton has named her as the main danger because she likes some give in the ground. If the rain keeps coming, she is the one who benefits.
The Everest 2026: our ratings of the main contenders
Prices are the fixed-odds market on Thursday 15 October 2026 and will move with the track rating.
| Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Price (15 Oct) | Our view |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ka Ying Rising | 11 | Zac Purton | $1.40 to $1.50 | Best bet. Defending champion, rated the best sprinter in the world; the wide gate matters less than the track |
| Tempted | 1 | Chad Schofield | $4.50 to $5.00 | Main danger. Unbeaten in five starts this year, runner-up from the same gate in 2025, and said to like give in the ground |
| Jimmysstar | 8 | Nash Rawiller | $15.00 | Mid-field draw; needs the favourite to falter |
| Joliestar | 5 | James McDonald | $16.00 | Good draw and the top jockey; the each-way value at a price |
Exotics. A quinella or exacta of Ka Ying Rising and Tempted is the clean play in a twelve-horse field. To get value, take an exacta with Ka Ying Rising on top and Tempted, Jimmysstar and Joliestar second. See this weekend’s Bets of the Week for how The Everest fits our weekend multi, and our Caulfield Cup tips for the other big race on Saturday.
The Everest Odds & Favourites
Everest markets open early and move all spring as slots lock in their runners and the lead-up sprints are run. Proven elite sprinters dominate, this is rarely a roughie’s race, but a small, fast-run field can still throw a surprise. In 2026 Ka Ying Rising is a $1.40 favourite to win the race for a second time, with Tempted the clear second pick at $4.50 to $5. For live Everest odds and the best price on every runner, compare the leading Australian bookmakers in our toplist below.
The Everest Form Guide
The key lead-ups are the spring Sydney sprints, The Shorts, the Premiere Stakes and the Concorde Stakes, plus elite sprint form from Melbourne and overseas. Hong Kong’s sprinters are now a major factor after Ka Ying Rising’s 2025 win. Look for proven 1200m Group 1 speed, a strong recent trial or lead-up, and a horse whose slot-holder has clearly targeted the race. The Everest also headlines the Sydney Spring Racing Carnival alongside the rich Golden Eagle.
The Everest Recent Winners & 2025 Result
The 2025 Everest was won by Ka Ying Rising, the brilliant Hong Kong sprinter who became the first international winner of the race. Recent winners:
| Year | Winner | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Ka Ying Rising | First international winner (Hong Kong) |
| 2024 | Bella Nipotina | Veteran mare’s biggest day |
| 2023 | Think About It | 11 wins from 12 starts at the time |
| 2022 | Giga Kick | 3yo sensation |
| 2021 | Nature Strip | Chris Waller’s champion sprinter |
History & Background
Launched in 2017 by the Australian Turf Club and Racing NSW, The Everest reinvented the slot-race concept for Australian sprinting and rapidly grew into the richest race on turf in the world. Redzel won the first two runnings (2017–18), Nature Strip and Giga Kick added star power, and Ka Ying Rising’s 2025 win opened a new international era. It now anchors Sydney’s spring and rivals the Melbourne Cup as the spring’s marquee betting race.
How to Watch The Everest (Live Stream & TV)
Everest Day is covered on Sky Racing and Racing.com, with free-to-air coverage confirmed each spring, and you can live stream the race free with most licensed Australian bookmakers once your account is funded. Replays go up on the Australian Turf Club and Racing.com channels shortly after.
Best Bookmakers for The Everest
For a full comparison of the top Australian racing bookmakers, best odds, futures and live streaming, see our best horse racing betting sites in Australia guide.
#AD 18+ T&Cs Apply Imagine what you could be buying instead. For free & confidential support call 180 0858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
18+ T&C's Apply. What are you really gambling with? Chances are you're about to lose. Set a Deposit Limit For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
18+ T&C's Apply. What are you really gambling with? Chances are you're about to lose. Set a Deposit Limit For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
18+ T&C's Apply. What are you really gambling with? Chances are you're about to lose. Set a Deposit Limit For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
#AD 18+ T&Cs Apply Imagine what you could be buying instead. For free & confidential support call 180 0858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
18+ T&C's Apply. What are you really gambling with? Chances are you're about to lose. Set a Deposit Limit For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
Exclusive 365AUCODE referral code: bet365 does not offer bonus codes in Australia and this referral code does not grant access to offers.18+ T&C's Apply. What are you really gambling with? Chances are you're about to lose. Set a Deposit Limit For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
The Everest FAQs
Who is the favourite for The Everest 2026?
Ka Ying Rising, the defending champion, is the favourite at $1.40 to $1.50 from barrier 11. Tempted is the main danger at $4.50 to $5 from barrier 1. Randwick has been rated between Soft 7 and Heavy 8 this week after 66mm of rain, so check the rating on race morning.
What are BettingPro’s Everest tips?
Our best bet is Ka Ying Rising to win, as long as the track is not downgraded into the heavy range. Tempted is the main danger, and Jimmysstar and Joliestar are the each-way options at bigger prices.
When is The Everest 2026?
Saturday 17 October 2026 at Royal Randwick, over 1200m.
What time is The Everest?
Mid-afternoon, approximately 4:15pm AEDT, with the exact jump time confirmed race week.
How much is The Everest worth?
$20 million, making it the richest race on turf in the world.
How does The Everest slot system work?
Twelve slots are sold to slot-holders, who each partner with a horse and share the prize money; there are no nominations or ballot.
Who won the 2025 Everest?
Ka Ying Rising, the first international (Hong Kong) winner of the race.
How many horses run in The Everest?
Twelve, one per slot, with no emergencies.
How can I watch The Everest?
On Sky Racing and Racing.com, with free-to-air coverage each spring and free live streams via most bookmakers.
Who is running in The Everest 2026?
The final field of twelve is Ka Ying Rising, Tempted, Jimmysstar, Giga Kick, Blue Door, Spicy Martini, Joliestar, Savvy Hallie, Ninja, Caballus, Headwall and Angel Capital. Tempted drew barrier 1 and Ka Ying Rising barrier 11.
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