Tempted claimed the Group 1 $20 million The Everest (1200m) at Royal Randwick, defeating defending champion Ka Ying Rising in a thrilling edition of the world’s richest turf race.
Winning jockey Chad Schofield explained his tactics aboard Tempted, while the beaten riders gave their assessments of their mounts following the feature sprint.
Chad Schofield (Tempted): “First time I’ve really ridden her and asked her from the start. I normally just ride her to relax and trust her to be far too good late.
“But it was a different race today. We had the world’s best sprinter, the world’s best horse. I had eyes for him, and I knew he wasn’t up there and I held my spot and kept him deep and I’m pretty sure that made Zac (Purton, Ka Ying Rising’s jockey) have to come back.
“From there, I had the perfect trip. I came off from behind the two leaders, and I hit the front very early, a long way out. But she’s such a good horse, she’s so brave and so game.
‘It wasn’t our plan. Ciaron just said, let her be. If she wants to be there, let her be there. He felt in this race last year she was a pair further back than she needed to be. I jumped, I gave her a squeeze, and like always, she was there for me and she delivered.
“She’s getting better, that’s all I’ll say. I rode her as a three-year-old and she came back so much stronger. She was amazing first-up, she was even better second-up. I reckon she went to a new level there today. She’s had three runs this prep and got better each time, why won’t she keep improving now as a four-year-old.”
Zac Purton (Ka Ying Rising): “He ran well. Good effort.”
James McDonald (Joliestar): “I’ve never been more proud of her. She has run the race of her life. Has never felt better than she did today. So that is just an incredible job by the team.”
Nash Rawiller (Jimmysstar): “He couldn’t muster early. Was a bit slow away. I think he made up four lengths topping the rise. And then it was very hard to make up the next four. Ran creditably without giving away that much start today.”
Dylan Gibbons (Giga Kick): “He had a great run. When they steadied up it ruffled his feathers a bit. Took away his last 50m. I thought it was a run back on track for an old warrior.”
Ben Melham (Angel Capital): “I thought he ran terrific. A low draw is not his go. In this grade 1200m was not really his go either. Ran well.”
Tim Clark (Caballus): “Thought he acquitted himself very well. Had a nice run throughout. Wasn’t beaten too far.”
Kerrin McEvoy (Headwall): “Great run by him. Travelled nicely, peeled off, presented for a really great run by him. Happy for them.”
Tommy Berry (Ninja): “Very proud of him. We rode the speed. Just had Spicy Martini keeping him honest the whole way. Even around the bend he wasn’t able to build into his race like he usually does. He had to do it on a dime. DId a great job. Will be back in 12 months time a better horse.”
Taylor Marshall (Spicy Martini): “She began terrific. Wanted to give her a positive ride. We had speed underneath us. I elected to let her travel. She didn’t shake her task. Drying ground wasn’t favorable. We still haven’t seen the best of her.”
Zac Lloyd (Savvy Hallie): “She tried her best. Broke really well but didn’t help having Tempted come past us so fast. It took some confidence out of her but she tried.”
Jamie Melham (Blue Door): “She ran alright. She hasn’t been in a race like that with that much tempo before. She just folded at the 300m being under pressure a long way out.”
