Experts are speechless after the richest races on the field get down to the wire with outside ratings that wow the field.
Giga Kick has come up with a stunning surprise to tinker around at home and claim The Everest. Craig Williams made a scintillating run to storm the house outside and claim the richest race on grass. Entering the race as an $18 outsider, the red-hot favorite Nature Trail looked home and sprayed with 150m to go but was swamped by Giga Kick, Private Eye and Mazu.
The Nature Strip would have snatched a second straight win on The Everest, but that wasn't the case as Giga Kick pulled off a senseless surprise. The Nature Strip sat on Eduardo's hip as they turned the corner and as they straightened 400m from home he took the lead and many believed that was all he wrote. But when the horses charged straight, the mighty gelding failed to withdraw and was overrun in the final stages. Private Eye came home second ahead of Mazu with the Nature Strip crossing the fourth line.
“Amazing, amazing,” said Bruce MacAvaney in his comments.
"You know he (Nature Strip) is in trouble and it's going to take something special (to win)."
The win from the Giga Kick was historic on multiple levels as the horse became the first undefeated winner on The Everest, longest-priced winner and youngest winner to claim the award. Giga Kick's historic win left the punting world in complete disbelief with the vast majority of all-market money flooding into the Nature Strip.
7 News reporter John Hunt wrote: “Big kick you know for the punters today. It was incredible the last 200m of the Giga Kick. ”
EVEREST COMPLETION ORDER
1: Giga Kick
2: Private Eyes
3: Mazu
4: Nature Trail
5: Jacquinot
6: Overpass
7: Ministry of Education
8: Shades of Roses
9: Masked Crusaders
10: Good Luck
11: Eduardo
12: Amazing
The Nature Strip rallied in betting markets earlier in the day after second favorite Lost and Running was scraped. It was learned on Saturday morning that the six-year-old neuter failed to pass a veterinary examination. According to punters.com.au, Racing NSW said: “A vet check on Lost And Running this morning found Lost And Running was paralyzed in the hindquarters and unfit to start on The Everest. “Lost And Running has been scratched from The Everest.
"TAB has chosen the Ministry of Education as a replacement which will start from Barrier 7." Lost And Running has become a solid $7 second favorite.