LIVE: There has been a major blow to Australia’s richest race – The Everest – with second-favourite Lost And Running scratched on Saturday morning.
The Everest (1200m) boasts a total prize pool of $15m, making it the richest turf race in the world, but John O’Shea’s star gelding who finished fourth last year will be unable to race this time around.
Racing NSW declared: “A vet inspection of Lost And Running this morning has found Lost And Running to be lame in the off hind leg and unsuitable to start in The Everest. Lost And Running has been scratched from The Everest. TAB has selected Kementari as the replacement which will start from barrier 7.”
It follows trainer John O’Shea reporting the horse had a skin irritation on the inside of the fetlock joint on that leg to stewards last night. Chief Vet of Racing NSW, Dr Peter Curl, led the examination of the gelding this morning.
Star jockey Hugh Bowman, who was set to ride Lost And Running, will now take on his replacement.
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Nature Strip, the world’s top-ranked sprinter, is favourite to claim back to back honours on a massive day at Royal Randwick, with The Everest the jewel in the crown.
The weight for age race for all horses features the unique condition that each contender must pay a $600,000 entry fee to race.
There are 165 entries across 10 races at Randwick today – totalling nearly $23 million in combined prize money – with five events worth $1 million or more.
We’ll have all the action from the Everest covered right here ahead of the big race at 4.15pm AEDT.
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