THE Everest was Sydney’s biggest racing event this century both in attendance and betting turnover. Sydney’s three-decade, laser-like focus on the Golden Slipper is changing as The Everest, based on the Pegasus World Cup, burst into reality in October with stunning figures that doubled this year’s Golden Slipper in both attendance and wagering.

Described by New South Wales Racing chief executive Peter V’landys as “a juggernaut”, the Everest captured the interest of the casual Sydney racegoer via both traditional means and social media. The challenge will be to maintain the interest with Sydney crowds notorious for their fickle nature.

That path was made easier by the win of the orphaned foal Redzel and his classic rags-to-riches 30-member syndicate. His owners were an amalgam of people from all walks of life, like the Tasmanian brothers Mark and Michael Waddington, a pair of delivery drivers who describe themselves as “everyday Joe Blows”.

While the Golden Slipper may not revisit the heady days of 32,666 turning up to see Dance Hero win in 2004, the world’s richest two-year-old race is still a rare prize, with a winning colt guaranteed to spark a bidding frenzy by studs.

MELBOURNE CUP

Within three years, if not sooner, there will be no Australian-bred horses in the Melbourne Cup.

With a new naming sponsor on the horizon as Emirates sign off after 14 years of sponsorship, with Godolphin fatefully unable to improve on their runners-up results with Central Park (in 1999), Give The Slip (2001) and Crime Scene (2009), the Melbourne Cup has now become Australia’s gift to world distance racing.

A fascination for people since a reported 100,000 turned out for the 1880 running, and inspiring Mark Twain to write about ‘Cup fever’ in 1895, the Melbourne Cup has never been just a race, and now it’s an event on the world stage.

While some may lament the lack of ‘local content’ there is no denying the race has gained a greater relevance with the influence of international bloodlines, both those brought by international trainers and those bought by watchful agents for southern syndicates.

Questions could arise of restrictions for foreign runners, but the vagaries of the handicap system and the great distance required to travel for the Cup will void those.

Green Moon’s win in 2012 was a portent of the future with Irish-bred horses filling the top seven slots, five of those with Australian trainers.

This year saw just three Australian-bred Melbourne Cup starters, the best placed being Amelie’s Star in 14th. One spot ahead of the Testa Rossa mare was the best placed of the two New Zealand-breds, Cismontane, by High Chaparral.

Conversely their were nine Irish-breds and six British-breds in the race. Just a single Australian-bred horse contested 2016, and in fact you need to go back to 2009 to find an Australian-bred horse that finished top three – Shocking, that year’s winner.