Final pieces falling into place for Everest field to tackle champion

Only two, or maybe three, slots are left to fill in the $20 million Everest after a busy 24 hours of announcements.

As expected, premier trainer Chris Waller and his partners confirmed Joliestar would represent them for a third consecutive year in the race on October 17 at Randwick.

Later on Wednesday, Coolmore announced seven-year-old Giga Kick would take its slot, after the breeding giant’s $30 million colt and likely selection Guest House was ruled out for the spring with a hamstring injury on Saturday.

The confirmations followed news late on Tuesday from Jimmysstar’s managing owner Ozzie Kheir on SEN that the Ciaron Maher-trained galloper, which was third in the race last year, would run again. Kheir said Nash Rawiller would ride Jimmysstar, and a deal would be finalised within 24 hours. Jimmysstar ran in the TAB slot last year and it was expected they would combine again, but no confirmation had come late on Wednesday afternoon.

If a deal is done, it would leave just bloodstock agent James Harron and racing heavyweights Yulong left to confirm their runners to round out the 12-horse field. Angel Capital, which ran in the Coolmore slot last year, was expected to get owner Yulong’s position.

Ninja (Fairway Thoroughbred), Headwall (Neil Werrett and partners), Tempted (Godolphin), Blue Door (Newgate-GPI Racing), Savvy Hallie (Mulberry Racing) and Spicy Martini (Inglis) were the others confirmed to take on defending champion and $1.30 favourite Ka Ying Rising, which races in the Hong Kong Jockey Club slot leased from the Australian Turf Club.

Clayton Douglas-trained Giga Kick, which won the Everest in 2022 then was second in 2024 to Bella Nipotina, was perhaps the most surprising after the seven-year-old finished four lengths away eighth in the Manikato Stakes last start.

Sydney jockey Dylan Gibbons, fresh from his group 1 Flight Stakes win on Global Goal, gained the ride. He was eighth aboard Matt Smith-trained Buenos Noches with his only ride in the race, in 2023.

“It’s a nice little pick up,” Gibbons said.

“Obviously, Global Goal’s been a bit of a help there. I was fortunate enough they picked me after Mark [Zahra] would have been committed to Half Yours [in the Caulfield Cup].

“There’s only 12 in it, so you need to be going all right to find a ride in that race.

“His picture’s there on the wall [at Randwick], and he’s run second in it before, so he loves the race and any rain around is going to be a positive, so hopefully we can get a few favours. I’m pretty sure he’s going to have the blinkers on, too.”

Joliestar, now six-year-old, was fifth last year in the Everest and seventh in 2024. She looked on track for another shot after a strong finish to come a close second in The Shorts (1100m) on September 19. It was Australia’s champion sprinter of last season’s first run back from her UK trip, where she was third in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee at Ascot.