Tempted claims The Everest crown in thrilling renewal

The tenth running of The Everest delivered a familiar outcome at the top but with a new champion crowned, as Tempted outdueled Ka Ying Rising before a record-breaking crowd of 52,110.

For trainer Ciaron Maher, this victory represents his second success in The Everest, building on Bella Nipotina's triumph in 2024. Meanwhile, Ka Ying Rising's trainer David Hayes saw his sprinter's remarkable 21-race winning streak halted, albeit by the narrowest of margins.

Both trainers have expressed their commitment to returning for a third chapter of the Tempted versus Ka Ying Rising saga in The Everest next year.

A perfectly executed ride by Chad Schofield saw Tempted level the score with the Hong Kong sensation, bringing Maher's year-long quest for retribution to a successful conclusion.

"This mare hasn't been beaten since The Everest last year and she has rectified it this year," Maher declared. "I always had an air of confidence she would run her best race today and you could see the way she was building through it. Chad knew what he had under him and I felt barrier one was ideal. She had to be at her absolute best and she was. She went forward, made her own luck, and 'God', this is amazing. This mare was there to be beaten but she did it!"

Tempted ($6.50) narrowly defeated Ka Ying Rising ($1.35 favourite), with Joliestar ($19) finishing a close third.

Headwall ran a career-best race to claim fourth spot, just a length adrift of the winner, while Ninja secured fifth place after a spirited effort.

Blue Door and Savvy Hallie, who were prominent early, were unable to sustain their challenge and finished at the tail of the field.

Schofield's tactical brilliance aboard Tempted proved decisive in overcoming the world's top sprinter, Ka Ying Rising.

"This is the 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," Schofield commented. "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, 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."

Schofield disclosed that an aggressive start was not the pre-race intention.

"It wasn't our plan, Ciaron just said, let her be. If she wants to be there, let her be there,'' Maher explained. "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."

Tempted's impressive record now boasts 10 wins and four placings from 15 starts, propelling her career earnings past the $14 million mark, with Maher convinced her potential is still untapped.

"Earlier today, we were talking that we don't really know how good she is," Maher remarked. "I'm thrilled for Godolphin. A lot of horses don't reach their full potential but Godolphin has been very patient with Tempted. We could have taken her to Melbourne last spring but we didn't. We put her away for autumn and gave her a light autumn with a few of reaching her full potential. But this is really great, on an amazing day, I'm absolutely thrilled and Tempted is something special."

Andy Makiv, Godolphin Australia supremo, lauded Tempted's adaptability in fending off Ka Ying Rising's late charge.

"She got a great ride and hit the front a long way from home," Makiv stated. "She is used to hunting something down so she got left there a long way out but she was so brave. It is a long straight and people around me were saying she's home but I was saying 'hold on, hold on'. This is a fantastic moment, a great day for Godolphin, a great day for our colours and a great day for Dubai."

Hayes pinpointed the barrier draw as the pivotal factor, with Ka Ying Rising drawn wide in gate 11 compared to Tempted's rails draw.

The race's initial surprise was Ka Ying Rising's inability to cross from his wide alley, compelling Purton to ease him back to fifth or sixth position, out wide and without cover.

"We didn't expect him to be there, but it was the barrier. Sometimes 11 can be a bonus, but he got caught wide," Hayes explained. "He settled a bit further back than we thought he would, and if we have to take a positive out of it, he was in front one stride after the post. He was so very brave. The first and third horse cut the corner and really had dream runs, and we had a horror (run) being six-wide, no cover. But he was brave, and I love the way he finished, but I hate the result. I've had a chat with Zac (Purton) and he just thinks the barrier, getting caught so wide, and the winner had such a beautiful run. Well done to the winner, she's had a big spring."

Purton observed that Ka Ying Rising seemed somewhat bewildered as they entered the straight.

"It felt like he was really struggling but when the horse on the outside came to him, that's when he flicked into gear and started to give me something," Purton said. "He was good to the line – he was all heart. He prefers it dry, but he got through it okay. Every horse that went forward, finished out the back so it didn't work out for them, either."

Joliestar, participating in her third Everest, ran one of her most competitive races to finish a close third.

"I've never been more proud of her," jockey James McDonald remarked. "She has run the race of her life and has never felt better than she did today."

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