EVEREST PROVINCIAL REP “AS GOOD AS EVER”

HE is as good as ever!

That was leading Hawkesbury trainer Brad Widdup’s summation this morning of Jedibeel, his first ever runner in Saturday’s $20m The Everest (1200m) at Royal Randwick.

Widdup wasn’t disappointed with the talented sprinter’s barrier (eight in a field of 12) when they were released last night.

“I would have been devastated if he had drawn 10, 11 or 12, but eight is okay,” he said.

“There is a lot of speed in The Everest, and from there hopefully we can get a nice trail into the race.

“Jedibeel is in very good order, and worked nicely at Hawkesbury yesterday morning.

“Whilst of course it is exciting to have a runner in The Everest, I’m not changing anything with him.

“Jedibeel will go to Randwick on Saturday in the best condition I can possibly have him.

“We had a little setback (jarred joint) with him earlier in the preparation before he was scheduled to resume in the Concorde Stakes (1000m) at Randwick on September 6.

“But he recovered quickly, ran eighth in The Shorts (1100m) there a fortnight later when things didn’t really work out, and took improvement from that first-up run when a strong-finishing fourth (to Everest rivals Briasa, Jimmysstar and Mazu) in the Premiere Stakes (1200m) last Saturday week.

“I felt he was unlucky not to have beaten Mazu ($101 in The Everest) home and finished third.”

Jedibeel is provincial racing’s first Everest representative in six years since leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees’ In Her Time ran ninth at $21 to then three-year-old Yes Yes Yes in the 2019 edition.

However, the Hawkesbury gelding has been totally dismissed by market assessors as a winning prospect.

He is the rank outsider at $201. Hong Kong champ continues to be a dominant $1.70 favorite, with Sydney mare Joliestar ($7) the only other horse under double figures.

Story John Curtis, October 15, 2025