The wait is over. The opening day of the Sydney Everest Carnival is finally here, and we’re launching in style with feature races that promise action, excitement, and elite thoroughbred talent.

First up: The 7 Stakes a 1600m weight-for-age showdown where some of the country’s top milers battle for a ticket to spring’s biggest prizes, including the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes on Everest Day.

Then it’s time for the Group 2 The Shorts, the ultimate sprint over 1100m where Everest contenders explode onto the scene. This is the race where Everest credentials are on the line, just ask past winners Nature Strip, Classique Legend, and Redzel, who all blazed a trail from The Shorts to The Everest, the world’s richest race on turf. And the tradition continues this Saturday, with confirmed Everest slot-holders and rising stars with Everest dreams lining up for their shot at glory.

One jockey that will be looking to continue his impact this Australian Spring is Tyler Schiller. He’s been partnered with Everest hopeful Briasa for Team Hawkes and after winning the Australian Autumn sprinting feature, the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes, the duo aspire of making their mark on the world by winning the Everest.

It’s a spectacular day of racing and the thrilling start of a world-class carnival. The Sydney Everest Carnival has arrived. Millions are on the line. The stars are out. This is racing at its finest, make sure you are part of it

 

 

Please Note: South African Quartet Pools with fractional betting offered at Kelso and Yarmouth (UK) – 17 September 2025.

David Thiselton

Both Alec Laird and Stuart Ferrie have decided to avoid the Gr 1 Betway Summer Cup with their crack horses Fire Attack and Gladatorian respectively and will take on the best in Cape Town.

Alec said about the Gr 1 Premier’s Champions Challenge winner Fire Attack, “Off his 126 rating we just think he must go for the weight for age races at this stage. In the Summer Cup there is only a 6kg spread from top to bottom, but I think it will just take it out of him. He will run his guts out carrying topweight over 2000m at Turffontein. So we are going to have to take on the best horses in the country and will have to take on two of the best (Eight On Eighteen and The Real Prince) in their hometown. It makes it a bit tougher that it’s in their hometown, but we will go for glory. If we run second or third it will be a good run and there will be no skin off our noses.”

Fire Attack faced some of the best in his last start when finishing a running on 2,35 length fourth behind Gladatorian, The Real Prince and See It Again in the Gr 1 HKJC Champions Cup over 1800m.

However, the race did not pan out too well for him.

He had to be dropped out to last in the seven horse field and there was some time wasted before he could be committed.

Alec said, “The horse in front of him, Son Of Raj, didn’t know which way he wanted to go, left or right. I think Richard wanted to go handier, but he obviously didn’t know whether to go left or right (due to the horse in front of him not committing either way). So he was at the back of the field and eventually he went for a run down the inside. For his first time at Greyville I thought it was a decent run. He hadn’t seen the course before and he made up ground. He did have an interrupted program too. It gave us hope he could go to Cape Town. All being well he will have a proper program for his campaign in Cape Town. There is only one prep run I could find for him in Jo’Burg before he goes, it is an 1160m Pinnacle event on November 9 on Victory Moon day. He is eligible to travel to the Cape after that and will stay with Eric Sands. Eric has helped me in the past with London News and Smart Call and others. He has always been a big help.”

He continued, “There is a classic program for the horses going for the Met. It is the Green Point first and then the L’Ormarins King’s Plate. We’ll take stock after those two races. It will be the same program for Eight On Eighteen, The Real Prince and Gladatorian. May the best horse win or the one who is well at the time. When you say ‘I am not going to go because I can’t beat this one or that one’, then come the race something could happen, for example, to Eight On Eighteen, and then you are sitting here and saying, ‘Oh dear’. So we are taking our chances.”

London News was expected to win the Queen’s Plate and the Met in 1997 and started 33/10 second favourite and 16/10 favourite respectively.

However, Smart Call was backed in from 40/1 to 8/1 and beat the like of Legal Eagle, Captain America, Futura, Legislate and other Gr 1 winners to land Alec a second Met in 2016.

Meanwhile, Summer Cup reigning champion Atticus Finch has been treated and has recovered from the epistaxis he suffered in the Hollywoodbets Durban July.

Alec said he had been “flourishing” and will take the same route in to the Summer Cup as he did last year.

Another interesting horse in the yard is Gr 2 Gauteng Guineas winner Parisian Walkway.

Alec said, “I think we found out what was slowing him down. He had a very resistant worm we found in his stool and I think we have eventually got rid of it.”

Alec feels Parisian Walkway is too high in the handicap on 119 when looking at the rest of the Guineas’ fields merit ratings today, but he is hoping he bounces back to his Guineas form. He is running in a Graduation Plate on Saturday that he is weighted to win.

Meanwhile, Stuart Ferrie has earmarked a conditions event over either 1200m or 1400m at the beginning of November for Gladatorian to run in before going to Cape Town, where he will go for the Green Point, King’s Plate and WSB Met. He will be staying at Lucinda Woodruff’s yard.

Warren Lenferna

The stage is set at Hollywoodbets Greyville for an eight-race card this Wednesday, September 17, and there are some interesting runners.

There could be plenty of cheering after the third race if Cheerscheerscheers crosses the finish line first. He finished sixth on debut at Hollywoodbets Scottsville, only just under three lengths off the winner, Royal Sword. He was green and would surely have come on in leaps and bounds from that racing experience, and he could be hard to beat at the second time of asking.

Race 1, contested over 1,200m, gets under way at 12:35 PM, and the rapidly improving Light Of Gabriel is the firm first pick. Trained by Dean Kannemeyer and ridden by stable jockey Craig Zackey, she has learned more and more with each race. Last time out, she fought on tenaciously but simply found one better on the day. She is the one they all have to fear the most.

There are also two interesting runners in the third race: Spinmyangelspin and Celestial Diamond. Spinmyangelspin is returning from a January 15 layoff and will more than likely need the run, but her form in the Cape was promising. If she doesn’t need the comeback race too much, she can go very close and must be respected and included. Celestial Diamond is definitely not as bad as her last run shows—forget that and take note of her chances.

Go Grayson Go in Race 4 catches the attention. His recent form is solid, and his last two runs (especially his most recent) were excellent. He has not just been knocking at the door but trying to bang it down. He has a sparkling winning chance.

Race 5 is a Class 4 over 1,400m for fillies and mares. Princess Goldie showed when third to Papillon Blu last time that she is clearly on the comeback trail, and her second career win could be around the corner. An interesting runner in the lineup with Princess Goldie is Sneeuwitjie. The form of her shock maiden win has not stood up at all, but she then ran an encouraging race first up in open company. Despite the form of the maiden not sparking, she could be some value here for places and will now be ridden by a senior jockey. Keep an eye on her.

Saint Brigid, from the Candice Bass satellite barn, can make a winning local debut in the sixth race. Her last win was gutsy.

All in all, an exciting program awaits with many betting opportunities to get the adrenaline flowing for the midweek meeting.

RACE 1

4 LIGHT OF GABRIEL      2 TREASURE ISLAND      8 SUN IN MY POCKET      12 MS GALORE

Preview: LIGHT OF GABRIEL (4) is making huge inroads to the winner’s enclosure and looks ready and hard to beat today. TREASURE ISLAND (2) has placed five from five and has a huge each way chance. SUN IN MY POCKET (8) is learning what it is all about and doing well. She should win soon. MS GALORE (12) ran the best race of her career thus far last time and will be a big contender for the first four. (Warren Lenferna 4-2-8-12)

RACE 2

3 SPINMYANGELSSPIN      6 CELESTIAL DIAMOND       8 ANNIE’S SONG       1 TAKATALVI

Preview: SPINMYANGELSSPIN (3) has not run since January but she can be expected to race fresh and with first time blinkers, could win. CELESTIAL DIAMOND (6) is better than the last run and will be a huge chance. ANNIE’S SONG (8) returns from a 9^th February layoff and despite possibly needing it, can go close. TAKATALVI (1) has huge place claims. (Warren Lenferna 3-6-8-1)

RACE 3

5 CHEERSCHEERSCHEERS      8 COOL WIND      4 TWOCANTANGO       1 CALL ME WILD

Preview: CHEERSCHEERSCHEERS (5) caught the eye on debut when not far off the winner and with natural progression, will have a serious winning chance. COOL WIND (8) is improving and ran a good race last time – she can go close. TWOCANTANGO (4) is one for the shortlist and CALL ME WILD (1) cannot be ignored from any bets. (Warren Lenferna 5-8-4-1)

RACE 4

2 GO GRAYSON GO      7 PLUM PUDDING      8 TROIS TROIS QUATRE      1 ROYAL INVITATION

Preview: GO GRAYSON GO (2) ran an absolute cracker last time and is confidently selected to go one more and record his second career win. PLUM PUDDING (7) is in tremendous winning form and can continue on that way – huge runner. TROIS TROIS QUATRE (8) has each way claims and ROYAL INVITATION (1) could be the value in the race. (Warren Lenferna 2-7-8-1)

RACE 5

4 PRINCESS GOLDIE      8 UBUKHWEBEZANA      1 PROM QUEEN      6 SNEEUWITJIE

Preview: PRINCESS GOLDIE (4) ran a much improved race last time and can be expected to get a lot closer. UBUKHWEBEZANA (8) won well last time and can follow up. PROM QUEEN (1) is never far off and can pop up – respect and include. SNEEUWITJIE (6) is the value for the quartet. (Warren Lenferna 4-8-1-6)

RACE 6

10 SAINT BRIGID      5 COPACABANA      7 OH MY GUCCI GIRL      6 MY TRUE LOVE

Preview: SAINT BRIGID (10) brings Cape Town form into the race and won a gutsy race last time. COPACABANA (5) is ultra-consistent and has strong each way claims. OH MY GUCCI GIRL (7) ran a vastly improved race last time and can place again. MY TRUE LOVE (6) can boost the quartet if placing – she can. (Warren Lenferna 10-5-7-6)

RACE 7

6 MAPHAKA      7 JEANNE DARC      3 REGENERATION      2 CITY OF LOVE

Preview: MAPHAKA (6) caught the eye last time and is one of the leading contenders. JEANNE DARC (7) should come on a lot from that comeback last run and has a place chance this time. REGENERATION (3) is capable and can be expected to do way better despite the layoff. CITY OF LOVE (2) has quartet claims. (Warren Lenferna 6-7-3-2)

RACE 8

7 SOHO STAR      2 ICY BLAST      3 MILITARY COMMAND      8 KALAHARI ROLLER

Preview: SOHO STAR (7) has consistent and good form – he is the one they all have to beat. ICY BLAST (2) went close to winning last time and will have every chance to go one more. MILITARY COMMAND (3) can build on the last run – respect and include. KALAHARI ROLLER (8) is a must for trifectas and quartets. (Warren Lenferna 7-2-3-8)