RECORD-BREAKING SYDNEY EVEREST CARNIVAL FINISHES ON A GOLDEN NOTE
November 5, 2022
A record-breaking Sydney Everest Carnival concluded at Rosehill Gardens today with the running of the Golden Gift and inaugural Five Diamonds, capping a host of new and traditional feature races across Spring offering $66.3 million in prizemoney.
The Australian Turf Club and Racing NSW hosted nine Sydney Everest Carnival racedays at Royal Randwick and Rosehill Gardens from Fujitsu General George Main Stakes Day on 17 September through to today’s Five Diamonds Ladies Day.
The leading trainers on 3-2-1 points basis over the Sydney Everest Carnival was a tie between James Cummings (11 wins, 7 placings, 46 points) and Chris Waller (8 wins, 12 placings, 46 points).
Leading jockeys on a 3-2-1 basis was also a tie – James McDonald (9 wins, 9 placings, 44 points) and Tommy Berry (8 wins, 11 placings, 44 points), followed by Hugh Bowman (9 wins, 9 placings, 42.5 points).
A modern-day 50-year plus record crowd of 46,221 people attended TAB Everest Day to see emerging sprinting star Giga Kick win the world’s richest turf race, the $15 million TAB Everest for young trainer Clayton Douglas and leading jockey Craig Williams.
Six of Sydney’s traditional Group 1 features were run – the first of which the 1 $1 million Fujitsu George Main Stakes was won by Australian racing’s superstar in Anamoe for Godolphin’s head trainer James Cummings and jockey James McDonald.
The Group 1 $1.5 million TAB Epsom saw just its third dead-heat in 157-years of history – Ellsberg for Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou and jockey Brenton Avdulla and Top Ranked for Annabel Neasham and Hugh Bowman sharing the spoils.
Three-year-old Jacquinot stamped himself a star colt with a flashing finish to win the Group 1 Chandon Golden Rose at Rosehill Gardens for trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr and jockey Damian Lane.
Other Group 1 winners were: No Compromise for Sydney’s 12-time champion trainer Chris Waller and jockey Tommy Berry in the $750,000 Furphy Metropolitan, the Waller-trained Zougotcha in the $750,000 Darley Flight Stakes ridden by James McDonald and Sharp ‘N Smart in the $2 million Moët & Chandon Spring Champion Stakes for trainers Graeme and Debbie Rogerson and jockey Hugh Bowman.
These were among 43 Group, Listed and feature races across the Carnival which also included:
- The fourth renewal of the $10 million XXXX Golden Eagle at Rosehill Gardens won by I Wish I Win for trainer Peter Moody and jockey Luke Nolen;
- The second $2 million The Invitation at Royal Randwick taken out by trainer John O’Shea and jockey Kerrin McEvoy with Promise Of Success;
- Inaugural runnings at Royal Randwick of the $2 million The Big Dance on Cup Day (Rustic Steal for Kris Lees/Nash Rawiller), The Agency $1 million Tapp-Craig (Opal Ridge for Luke Pepper/Tyler Schiller), $1 million Callander-Presnell (Golden Mile for James Cummings/Hugh Bowman) and today’s $2 million Five Diamonds by Ellsberg for Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou and jockey Tommy Berry.
The $66.3 million in prizemoney distributed to owners, trainers, jockeys and strappers – along with $1 million to 20 charities from the XXXX Golden Eagle – was a 30 per cent rise on last year’s Sydney Everest Carnival.
The nine weeks of racing also saw strong increases in nominations (total of 2520 up 3.5 per cent), acceptances (1383 up 10 per cent) and starters (1007 up 3.3 per cent).
Australian Turf Club Executive General Manager Racing and Wagering James Ross said: “This year’s Sydney Spring Carnival achieved great heights with some of the most memorable feature races and racedays in recent years.
“It was fantastic to see world-class performances from the world’s best sprinter in Nature Strip, and Australia’s best middle-distance horse Anamoe, along with their respective trainers Chris Waller and James Cummings fighting out a close battle in the overall trainers’ title, and with Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou for most feature wins.”
“It was particularly pleasing to see not just international runners come to Sydney but also the appearances of the world’s star jockeys including Frankie Dettori and Jamie Spencer, adding to one of the strongest jockey rooms ever seen in Sydney.”
“With a combination of traditional Group 1 races and ground-breaking events such as the TAB Everest and XXXX Golden Eagle being viewed in over 65 countries around the world, Sydney racing in Spring has become one of the biggest events on the Australian sporting calendar.’’
Horses with the most number of feature wins were led by Ellsberg with three victories (TAB Epsom, Five Diamonds Prelude and Five Diamonds) for the Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou stable.
Horses with two feature races wins were Cascadian (Fujitsu General Hill Stakes and New TAB App Craven Plate), Sharp ‘n’ Smart (New TAB App Gloaming and Moët & Chandon Spring Champion Stakes) and Top Ranked (Bill Ritchie and TAB Epsom).
Jockeys and trainers with most number of feature wins were:
- Jockeys – James McDonald (7), Hugh Bowman (7), Brenton Avdulla (5), Regan Bayliss (4) and Tyler Schiller (3)
- Trainers – James Cummings (7), Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou (6), Annabel Neasham (4), Chris Waller (4), Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott (3)
A comprehensive review, results and statistics service for all group and Black Type races along with other key feature Sydney races from 20 August to 5 November can be found at https://www.racingandsports.com.au/transcription/atc/sydney-spring-carnival-2022/
ATC MEDIA CONTACT: Brett de Vine 0419 613 455 bdevine@theATC.com.au