Randwick around the track with Clinton Payne on Saturday

The punters around Australia say The Everest is a success with the race expected to break turnover records on a Sydney race.

THE DOLLARS SAY THE EVEREST IS A WINNER

The early betting figures available point to The Everest striking a chord with punters across the nation.

Corporate bookies turnover figures were unavailable at the time of writing so we used the national tote pools to give us a guide on how the race engaged with racing’s lifeblood – the punters.

"The Everest has captured the imagination of the racing world like no other sporting event in Sydney,” Racing NSW Chief Executive, Peter V’landys said.

"The Championships is now firmly established in the autumn and has been highly successful, but The Everest has gone to another level attracting world attention in a matter of months.”

NOTE: Tote turnover from Western Australia has not been used as they round up or down on their website.

THE EVEREST TOTE FIGURES

CAULFIELD GUINEAS TOTE FIGURES

TOTE COMPARISON

SYDNEY’S BIG FOUR RACES TOTE FIGURES

WOULD SHE HAVE WON?

Plenty thought the Ben Smith-trained In Her Time had done enough to secure a start in The Everest when winning the Group II Premiere Stakes a fortnight ago but she was overlooked by slot holders that remained uncommitted.

On Saturday, the four-year-old mare proved too good for her opposition again when taking out the $500,000 Sydney Stakes over the 1200m trip, the same distance The Everest was run over.

Let’s compare the times - In Her Time ran the 1200m in 1.08.26 (last 600m in 34.22 seconds) compared with Redzel’s winning time in The Everest of 1.08.36 (last 600m in 34.46 seconds).

I’D GIVE A DAMN

While on comparing times, the amazing response to the inaugural $200,000 Anniversary Highway (1400m) arguably cost Country New South Wales’s best horse Don’t Give A Damn victory in the feature race.

A whopping 42 entries were received for the race before Racing NSW acted quickly, adding an additional race – $100,000 Highway Consolation (1400m) to Saturday’s card.

The highest rated runners made up the field of 14 for the Anniversary Highway but the lightly-raced Don’t Give A Damn found himself in the Consolation where he led all of the way running a fast 1.21.86 (last 600m in 34.78 seconds).

The Anniversary Highway was won by After All That in 1.22.40 (last 600m in 35.09 seconds) around fourth lengths slower than Don’t Give A Damn’s time.

"He’ll go for a break now, we’ll target the (Country Championships) qualifier in the autumn then see what happens,” Don’t Give A Damn’s trainer Danny Williams said.

"I won’t even be frightened to nominate him for the Doncaster because I think he’ll be an even better horse at a mile to 2000 (metres).”

Next year I’d love to see the primary qualifying criteria for the Anniversary Highway to be horses that have previously won a Highway Handicap.

Ten of the 14 runners in the Anniversary Highway had never won a Highway Handicap but nine in the Consolation had.

‘I DON’T THINK IT’S A KEEPER’

Racing NSW chief stipe Marc Van Gestel was getting around with a flash The Everest pin on Saturday.

The pin, crafted by master jeweller Nic Cerrone was presented to each of the 12 slot owners on Thursday night at the glitzy Australian Turf Club Chairman’s The Everest Ball at Randwick.

So which slot owner gave his to Van Gestel?

"If I tell you I’ll have to kill you,” Van Gestel said. "I don’t think it’s a keeper.

"I won’t be rushing to give it back after the last but at some stage I’d say the owner will come calling.”

WHAT TOP SYDNEY TRAINER HELD A GREYHOUND LICENCE?

Champion trainer Peter Snowden once held a licence in the greyhound industry.

Not that Snowden was ever listed as a trainer of a greyhound, but he held an attendants licence, allowing him to box and catch greyhounds.

Snowden would ride work in the morning in Scone before helping his wife Lyn’s uncle to help out with a team of greyhounds.

"I’d go to the trials and races with him,” Snowden said. "I’d lead the dogs out and box them on raceday at places like Muswellbrook, Gunnedah, Tamworth and Cessnock.

"It was something different to what I was used to but he had a few handy dogs and it was good fun.”

So did Snowden ever consider taking out a training licence? "no,” he replied.

TWO TOP JOCKEYS RUBBED OUT

The Everest winning jockey Kerrin McEvoy and Corey Brown were stewards’ room casualties on Saturday.

Both jockeys were suspended for careless riding in the Highway Consolation.

Their good records saved them from missing the Cox Plate meeting, both incurring four meeting bans that will sideline them after next Saturday’s Caulfield Cup meeting.

They miss Friday week’s Manikato Stakes card before returning a day later to ride against Winx in the Cox Plate.