Tempted has won The Everest 2026 at Royal Randwick, holding off Hong Kong superstar Ka Ying Rising in a thrilling finish to end the champion’s 21-race winning streak and reverse last year’s result in the $20 million sprint.
The Godolphin mare, trained by Ciaron Maher and ridden by Chad Schofield, jumped from barrier one and refused to give in as Ka Ying Rising charged home late in the 1200m Group 1 on Saturday afternoon. Chris Waller’s Joliestar ran third for James McDonald, with the Matthew Smith-trained Headwall fourth under Kerrin McEvoy.
The victory is worth $7 million to Godolphin, who own and bred the four-year-old daughter of Street Boss and filled their Everest slot with her. Tempted is just the second mare to win the world’s richest race on turf after Bella Nipotina in 2024, and the result hands Maher his second Everest after that same mare.
According to the official Racing Australia interim results, Tempted won by 0.23 of a length in 1:08.21, running her last 600m in 34.28. The track was upgraded to a Soft 5 at 3:36pm, after almost 100mm of rain fell on Randwick in the week leading into the race.
Maher: “She had to be phenomenal”
“Amazing. I thought she would run a PB. I’m thrilled,” Maher told Channel Seven, as reported by The Sydney Morning Herald. “We had to take a position. Chad knew what he had underneath him. She had to be phenomenal and she was.”
Read more: Tempted Confirmed for Godolphin’s Everest Slot at Randwick
“I always had an air of confidence that she would run her best race ever today,” Maher told Sky Racing after the race. It was a sixth straight win for Tempted and the 10th of her career. Twelve months ago she finished second to Ka Ying Rising from the same inside draw carrying 51kg, and this time she carried 56.5kg to turn the tables. It is also Schofield’s first Everest win.
Ka Ying Rising’s streak ends at 21
Ka Ying Rising, the defending champion and the world’s highest-rated racehorse, arrived from Hong Kong chasing a 22nd consecutive win and a place alongside Redzel as the only dual winners of The Everest. The David Hayes-trained gelding had to come from barrier 11 under Zac Purton and finished fast, but the line came too soon.
Read more: Ka Ying Rising Faces Heavy Randwick Track in Everest Defence
Ka Ying Rising collects $2.9 million for second, while Joliestar earns $2 million for third and Headwall $1.5 million for fourth. Tempted joins an honour roll that includes Redzel, Yes Yes Yes, Classique Legend, Nature Strip, Giga Kick, Think About It, Bella Nipotina and Ka Ying Rising in the 10th running of the race.
The Everest 2026 full result
- 1st: Tempted (Chad Schofield, Ciaron Maher)
- 2nd: Ka Ying Rising (Zac Purton, David Hayes)
- 3rd: Joliestar (James McDonald, Chris Waller)
- 4th: Headwall (Kerrin McEvoy, Matthew Smith)
- 5th: Ninja (Tommy Berry, Michael Freedman)
- 6th: Jimmysstar (Nash Rawiller, Ciaron Maher)
- 7th: Caballus (Tim Clark, Bjorn Baker)
- 8th: Angel Capital (Ben Melham, Chris Waller)
- 9th: Giga Kick (Dylan Gibbons, Clayton Douglas)
- 10th: Spicy Martini (Taylor Marshall, Toby Edmonds)
- 11th: Blue Door (Jamie Melham, Bjorn Baker)
- 12th: Savvy Hallie (Zac Lloyd, Brad Widdup)
More Horse Racing News
- Ka Ying Rising Draws Barrier 11 for The Everest 2026
- Tempted Confirmed for Godolphin’s Everest Slot at Randwick
- Ka Ying Rising Faces Heavy Randwick Track in Everest Defence
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