$20 Million Tab Everest Breaks Wagering and Crowd Records

Sydney’s Group 1 AUD20 million TAB Everest reached new heights on Saturday, setting a record for global wagering and attendance as more than 50,000 fans packed Royal Randwick to witness Hong Kong’s Ka Ying Rising storm to victory in the world’s “richest turf race”.

Trained by Australia’s David Hayes and ridden by expatriate jockey Zac Purton, Ka Ying Rising delivered a performance that captivated a worldwide audience of more than 560 million viewers across 200 countries and territories.

The victory marked an international triumph, boosting and highlighting the race’s growing global prestige.

Hailing the event as one of the most memorable moments in world racing, Australian Turf Club Interim CEO, Steve McMahon, praised both the quality of competition and the electric atmosphere at Royal Randwick.

“To see the world’s highest-rated sprinter from Hong Kong win in front of a modern-day record crowd has further cemented the TAB Everest as an event like no other.” 

“The youngest crowd in Sydney racing history confirms the vision of Racing NSW and the Australian Turf Club to engage new fans and showcase racing as a world-class entertainment experience,” McMahon said.

The ninth running of the TAB Everest also shattered the World Pool wagering record, with AUD16.44 million placed through the co-mingled pool of international operators — easily surpassing the previous benchmark of AUD13.10 million set in 2023.

In addition, TAB Everest Day drew 50,167 attendees, marking the second consecutive sell-out and setting a modern-day record for Royal Randwick.

Notably, nearly 60 per cent of racegoers were aged under 26, highlighting the event’s remarkable appeal to a younger audience and reaffirming its evolution into a new-generation racing and entertainment spectacle.

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