Betting was suspended for The Everest on Tuesday morning prior to a live barrier reveal in the Sydney Harbour, with I Wish I Win re-opening as a $4 favourite with TAB before drifting slightly to $4.20 after drawing barrier 1.
Peter Moody, co-trainer of Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) winner I Wish I Win, told Newscorp earlier in the week that “the only thing I hope is I Wish I Win doesn’t draw a low gate.”
Typically a horse who gets back in the field, I Wish I Win will have to navigate some potential traffic issues with other key chances drawing well.
Waikato Stud owner Mark Chittick is confident I Wish I Win is ready to go, despite having only had one lead-up run six weeks ago.
“It’s unbelievable, to be over here and experience it all… the events just quite incredible. It’s a hell of a privilege that I Wish I Win has got us here,” Chittick told Racing NSW.
“He deserves his position and win, lose or draw he’ll give it his best.”
Joseph Pride and Proven Thoroughbreds have two strong chances, with last year’s runner up Private Eye drifting from $7 to $8 after drawing barrier 9, and Think About It, who has firmed into equal favourite after drawing well in barrier 5.
“Everything seems to have gone smoothly which is all a trainer can ask for… it’s full steam ahead to Saturday,” Pride told Racing NSW.
With two of the top three in the market, Pride says a quinella is “not beyond the realms.”
“I’m taking two horses there at the peak of their powers and that (quinella) is certainly an opportunity.”
In just six editions of The Everest, two three-year-olds have won the race. Cylinder and Shinzo will be out to emulate Yes Yes Yes in 2019 and Giga Kick last year, with TAB keeping Cylinder safe at $9 after drawing ideally in barrier 4, with Shinzo at $17 after drawing barrier 6.
Connections for likely leader in the race Overpass could be heard cheering from the harbour when he drew barrier 2, firming from $13 into $10 after markets re-opened, sitting on the same line as Buenos Noches who drew barrier 8.
In one of the more open editions of the race, only two runners are longer than $17 in betting with Mazu, drawn barrier 11 at $34 and multiple European Group 1 winning mare Alcohol Free, drawn barrier 7, at $51.