Significant Karaka and Kiwi Influence in A$20m The Everest

The eyes of the racing world will be on Sydney on Saturday for the running of the richest race on turf, the A$20m Group One The Everest (1200m) at Randwick. And this year the New Zealand breeding industry and the Karaka Sales Centre are going into the mega-rich sprint with their biggest representation yet.

While historically renowned for excelling over 1600 metres and beyond, New Zealand thoroughbreds are a growing force among the internationally acclaimed Australian sprinting ranks.

The likes of Roch ‘N’ Horse (NZ) (Per Incanto), I Wish I Win (NZ) (Savabeel), Jimmysstar (NZ) (Per Incanto), Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars), Ruthless Dame (NZ) (Tavistock), Callsign Mav (NZ) (Atlante), Mo’unga (NZ) (Savabeel), Sierra Sue (NZ) (Darci Brahma) and War Machine (NZ) (Harry Angel) have all won Group One races over 1400 metres or less across the Tasman in the last few seasons, not to mention the Kiwi-owned and trained 10-time Group One winner Imperatriz (I Am Invincible).

However, nine years on from its inaugural running in 2017, The Everest is increasingly becoming the race by which Australia’s elite sprinting talent is measured. I Wish I Win has performed the best of the Kiwis to date, finishing second and a long neck behind Think About It (So You Think) in 2023. Lost And Running (NZ) (Per Incanto) crossed the line in fourth place in 2021.

This year’s New Zealand contingent is made up of NZB graduates War Machine and Jedibeel (NZ) (Savabeel), along with the Kiwi-bred Hong Kong megastar Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress) and fellow New Zealand-bred speedster Jimmysstar.

 

WAR MACHINE

Bred by Ardsley Stud’s Wallace family under the banner of MDJ Bloodstock Ltd, War Machine (NZ) is by Harry Angel out of the winning mare Caserta (Hussonet).

Ardsley Stud offered War Machine in Book 1 of Karaka 2022 and again at the 2022 Ready to Run Sale, putting a $100,000 reserve on him on both occasions. He was passed in both times.

From a 14-start career, War Machine has recorded seven wins, two seconds and two thirds. He has earned A$2.664m – more than 30 times his reserves at Karaka.

War Machine was transferred into the stable of Ben, Will and JD Hayes following the sad passing of Hall of Fame horseman Mike Moroney earlier this year. The gelding is unbeaten in four appearances for the Lindsay Park team, including the Group Three BRC Sprint (1350m) in May and a superb triumph in the Group One Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) in June.

In his only start so far this season, War Machine carried 60 kilograms to an emphatic victory in the Group Two Gilgai Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on October 4.

War Machine will be ridden by Tim Clark on Saturday and has drawn barrier four.

War Machine’s sire Harry Angel has six two-year-olds catalogued for next month’s Ready to Run Sale at Karaka.

 

JEDIBEEL

The Everest is familiar territory for Waikato Stud, who went almost all the way to the summit when their homebred star I Wish I Win finished a close second in 2023. They are back again in 2025, this time as the breeders and vendors of NZB graduate Jedibeel (NZ) (Savabeel).

Waikato Stud offered Jedibeel in the 2020 National Weanling Sale on Gavelhouse Plus, where he was bought by Dengaroka Lodge for $35,000.

Despite being a full-brother to the talented stayer Starrybeel (NZ) (Savabeel), whose five wins included the Dunstan Stayers’ Championship Final (2400m), Jedibeel has proven to be a quality performer over half of that distance.

The Brad Widdup-trained gelding has had 24 starts for eight wins, eight placings and A$969,650 in stakes – more than 31 times his purchase price.

Jedibeel graduated to black-type sprinting company last season and scored victories in the Group Two Challenge Stakes (1000m) and Listed Razor Sharp (1200m) – both at Randwick, the venue for Saturday’s Everest. He also ventured to Brisbane and was beaten by a nose when second in the Group Two Victory Stakes (1200m). He was a last-start fourth placegetter in the A$1m Group Two Premiere Stakes (1200m) over the same course and distance as The Everest.

Three-time Everest-winning jockey Kerrin McEvoy will take the mount on Jedibeel, who jumps from gate eight on Saturday.

Jedibeel’s sire Savabeel has 11 progeny catalogued for next month’s Ready to Run Sale at Karaka.

 

KA YING RISING

No horse has dominated an Everest build-up quite like the Hong Kong champion Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress), who is attempting to become the first overseas-trained winner of the big race.

Ka Ying Rising was bred by Marton-based trainer Fraser Auret and his wife Erin under their Grandmoral Lodge Racing banner. He is by Windsor Park Stud stallion Shamexpress (NZ), who himself was a Group One-winning sprinter in Australia in the Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington. The dam of Ka Ying Rising is the Per Incanto mare Missy Moo (NZ).

Hong Kong-based Australian trainer David Hayes has guided Ka Ying Rising through an extraordinary career that has already earned Hong Kong Horse of the Year honours and broken Sha Tin track records.

The gelding has had 16 starts for 14 wins and two second placings, earning the equivalent of more than NZ$14.2m in prize-money. He has won all of his last 13 races.

Ka Ying Rising’s victories include the Group One Hong Kong Sprint (1200m), Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m), Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) and Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m). He has broken 1:08 five times since October of last year, stopping the clock at 1:07.88, 1:07.63, 1:07.57, 1:07.43 and a dazzling 1:07.20.

Ka Ying Rising’s regular rider Zac Purton has made the trip to Sydney to continue his partnership with the world’s highest-rated sprinter, who will jump as a hot favourite and has drawn gate seven.

Shamexpress, meanwhile, has a select group of four two-year-olds going through the Karaka sale ring in next month’s Ready to Run Sale.

 

JIMMYSSTAR

Trainer Ciaron Maher won last year’s Everest with Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai), whose lead-up runs produced a second in the Group Three Concorde Stakes (1000m) and a third in the Group Two Premiere Stakes (1200m). Maher has used the same two races with Jimmysstar (NZ) (Per Incanto), who has charged home to finish fifth in the Concorde and a close second in the Premiere.

Jimmysstar was bred by Little Avondale Stud in partnership with Wairarapa couple Pete and Chrissy Algie. He is by Little Avondale’s flagship stallion Per Incanto out of Anniestar (NZ) (Zed), who herself placed at Listed level over 2100 metres and is the dam of Group One New Zealand Oaks (2400m) and Queensland Oaks (2200m) placegetter Charms Star (NZ) (Per Incanto). Anniesstar is a full-sister to the Group One Auckland Cup (3200m) placegetter Jacksstar (NZ) (Zed).

But Jimmysstar defied those stamina-laden bloodlines to become an elite sprinter. After recording two wins and a second from three New Zealand starts from the Hastings stable of Guy Lowry, he joined the Maher team and has improved his career record to nine wins, six placings and A$2.35 million in stakes from 20 starts. He secured a Group One double last season with scintillating finishing bursts in the Oakleigh Plate (1100m) and All Aged Stakes (1400m).

Ethan Brown will take the mount on Jimmysstar in The Everest on Saturday, with the pair set to jump from gate 11 in a 12-horse field.

Jimmysstar’s sire Per Incanto has 13 lots catalogued for the Ready to Run Sale at Karaka on November 12 and 13.

 

The 2025 edition of The Everest will be run as Race 7 at Randwick on Saturday, with a scheduled start time of 4.15pm local time (6.15pm NZDST).