Everest favourite I Wish I Win has been handed no favours after drawing barrier 9 for the $20 million race on Saturday.
In a lavish event on Tuesday (complete with a circus Big Top theme), 2022 Everest winner Giga Kick drew barrier 3, which made trainer Clayton Douglas happy, later calling it the “perfect gate”.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: I Wish I Win lands barrier 9 in wild Everest draw.
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Giga Kick is aiming to become just the second horse to win the trophy twice and follow in the footsteps of Redzel, who won the inaugural Everest race in 2017 and followed up with victory in 2018.
However, a horse is yet to win the race from barrier 3, yet we have seen a winner from gate 9.
Watch The Everest live and free on Seven and 7plus Sport this Saturday
Barrier 5 is seemingly the sweet spot and is the only gate that has produced multiple winners.
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained Storm Boy was lucky enough to grab that alley.
I Wish I Win maintained favouritism after the draw, but another favourite Bella Nipotina drifted in markets after scoring barrier 12.
Chris Waller’s Joliestar moved in on the betting after drawing gate 4.
This year’s Everest has been given Group 1 status for the first time
2024 Everest field (*barrier in bold)
1 – I WISH I WIN – Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman – Luke Nolen – barrier 9 – 58.5kg
2 – GIGA KICK – Clayton Douglas – Mark Zahra – 3 – 58.5kg
3 – PRIVATE EYE – Joseph Pride – Jay Ford – 10 – 58.5kg
4 – BELLA NIPOTINA – Ciaron Maher – Craig Williams – 12 – 56.5kg
5 – I AM ME – Ciaron Maher – Nash Rawiller – 1 – 56.5kg
6 – STEFI MAGNETICA – Bjorn Baker – Zac Lloyd (a) – 6 – 56.5kg
7 – SUNSHINE IN PARIS – Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald – Tommy Berry – 8 – 56.5kg
8 – JOLIESTAR – Chris Waller – James McDonald – 4 – 56.5kg
9 – GROWING EMPIRE – Ciaron Maher – Kerrin McEvoy – 7 – 53kg
10 – TRAFFIC WARDEN – James Cummings – Jamie Kah – 2 – 53kg
11 – STORM BOY – Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott – Brenton Avdulla – 5 – 53kg
12 – LADY OF CAMELOT – Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott – Rachel King – 11 – 51kg
Emergencies
13 emg – OVERPASS – Bjorn Baker – 58.5kg
14 emg – THINK ABOUT IT – Joseph Pride – 58.5kg
15 emg – SOUTHPORT TYCOON – Ciaron Maher – 58.5kg
16 emg – MAZU – Joseph Pride – 58.5kg
The Everest betting when markets closed before the barrier draw
1 – I WISH I WIN – $5
2 – GIGA KICK – $11
3 – PRIVATE EYE – $21
4 – BELLA NIPOTINA – $6
5 – I AM ME – $15
6 – STEFI MAGNETICA – $15
7 – SUNSHINE IN PARIS – $11
8 – JOLIESTAR – $7
9 – GROWING EMPIRE – $6
10 – TRAFFIC WARDEN – $9
11 – STORM BOY – $15
12 – LADY OF CAMELOT – $34
13 emg – OVERPASS – N/A
14 emg – THINK ABOUT IT – N/A
15 emg – SOUTHPORT TYCOON – N/A
16 emg – MAZU – N/A
Watch The Everest live and free on Seven and 7plus Sport this Saturday