The Everest, Caulfield Cup 2024 LIVE updates: Bella Nipotina wins ...

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The Sydney Morning Herald

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Our experts share their Randwick and Caulfield tips

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5.08pm

Newitt with a classic lineBy Roy Ward

Deny Knowledge’s jockey Craig Newitt cut a lean and hungry figure as he prepares for the Caulfield Cup.

The Everest 2024 - Figure 1 — Photo The Sydney Morning Herald

Riding at 50.9kg, Newitt told Seven he was keen to go but running on fumes to stay at the correct weight.

“Dry as a pretzel but keen as mustard,” Newitt told Seven with a laugh.

The race is under 10 minutes away.

5.02pm

Ostraka wins Silver Eagles

4.59pm

Race 9 Caulfield: Sportsbet Caulfield Cup (2400m) 5.15pmBy Andrew Wu

The day’s feature race, if we ignore the $20 million Everest in Sydney, is one of the weakest Caulfield Cups I can remember.

With this in mind, I’m ignoring a lot of the older horses and going with the lighter-raced stayers. Zardozi, a four-year-old mare, has hit form at the right time, improving markedly last time when stepped up to a staying trip in the Metropolitan in Sydney.

Zardozi rips away to win the Clarendon Stakes at Hawkesbuy in April.Credit: Getty

An Oaks winner, she will relish the 2400 metres and is also proven in the wet.

Her trainer, James Cummings, has a rich pedigree. He is the grandson of “Cups King” Bart Cummings, who won this race seven times.

Sayedaty Sadaty ran fifth in the Epsom Derby in England and has form around spruik import Jan Brueghel, which is good enough for me this year.

The sports editor also put a sneaky fiver on him so it’s in my professional interests if he wins.

Eliyass is a query at the distance, but don’t be daunted by his outside gate.

Being drawn wide is not a disadvantage for an on-pacer. Duke De Sessa is my best roughie.

4.48pm

Royals MIA out at Randwick

The Everest has come and gone and still no sign of you know who. As in, King Charles has not been sighted at Randwick.

Are we shocked? Not really.

Do the punters care? Based on the carnival karaoke and other general mayhem, I’m sensing not. There is still time, with the King Charles III Stakes still to come, but it ain’t looking likely.

4.46pm

Race 8 Randwick: Silver Eagle (1200m) preview 4.50pm

1. Veight didn’t show much first up in the Manikato Stakes first up but he is better than that. Want to give him the chance to bounce back.

With 2. Bases Loaded drawn to his inside, perhaps he gets a free trail across to settle handy. His three-year-old form over the autumn was exceptional. Second up he was beaten a length by Mr Brightside and Pride Of Jenni. He then ran second in the Australian Guineas before winning the George Ryder. That’s top shelf weight-for-age form. Have to take him on trust but willing to do just that.

11. Kimochi also comes through the Manikato and was brave sticking on for fourth despite covering ground. She refused to lay down, fighting right to the line. She’s all heart.

How to play it: Veight to win.

4.45pm

‘Hopefully he can just press it down’: Gai excited about Eliyass

Gai Waterhouse is back to whooping it up after winning the Thousand Guineas Prelude at Caulfield.

She was all smiles in the mounting yard as she hoisted her latest trophy in the air.

Her day was off to a bad start - fancied runner Catoggio finished outside the placings in the first and her Kilcare Beachgirl punctured in the fourth.

So now that she has turned her day around, we asked her again about Eliyass’s chances in the Caulfield Cup.

“He’s done everything right, he’s got his foot on the till, let’s hope he can just press it down and pop,” she said.

Giddyup.

4.39pm

Lady In Pink wins in race 8

4.37pm

‘Trust her’: Maher and Williams backed Nipotina to win

4.30pm

Craig Williams wins Everest and Kosciuszko

4.29pm

Race 8 Caulfield: Sharp Eit Sols Tristarc Stakes (1400m) 4.30pmBy Andrew Wu

By this time of the afternoon, you probably don’t want to try saying the sponsor’s name but there’s no excuse mispronouncing my tip - Skybird.

I almost cried watching her get beaten two weeks ago when she flashed home from last from the wide draw to be beaten by inches.

She’s drawn gate three this time so knowing my luck will probably get boxed in, but if she doesn’t she will extremely hard to beat, so much so she is my best bet for the day.

Gamble responsibly of course.

Revolutionary Miss brings strong form.

If you can forgive Quintessa’s last start she presents value, while last year’s winner Wrote To Arataki can improve at big odds.

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