Pride loving low expectations for Everest day chances

4 hours ago 4

By Craig Kerry

October 16, 2025 — 3.09pm

Joe Pride has experienced just about every emotion possible on Everest day.

The Warwick Farm trainer has ridden the rollercoaster of placings with Private Eye and Eduardo to the pressure of expectation, then relief and joy in 2023 when Think About It won the $20 million showpiece. He then had fear – and ultimately relief, when Think About It collapsed the following year in the consolation race, the Sydney Stakes, only to recover and walk away to retirement.

Trainer Joe Pride after winning The Everest in 2023 with Think About It.

On Saturday, Pride is relishing the chance to fly under the radar with a team of underdogs in the main races. Mazu, the last horse picked, was a $126 (Sportsbet) chance for The Everest (1200m), Ceolwulf was $10 for his title defence in the $5 million King Charles III Stakes (1600m), while Golden Mile ($8), Coal Crusher ($31) and Dragonstone ($34) were in the $2 million Sydney Stakes (1200m).

“Lovely. Yeah, it’s nowhere near the same level of pressure,” Pride said of this year’s Everest compared to 2023.

“That year, obviously, I had Think About It and [third-placed] Private Eye, and honestly, I couldn’t split them. And I think if the race had been run differently, I could even make a case for Private Eye winning. So I went in there with a double-barrel assault, and you should never do this, but I fully expected to win the race – which is foolish.

“This year it’s much easier. And I think this is a sixth year running that we’ve had runners in the race, so it’s a good achievement for a stable the size we are. I’m not going to say we’re a hot chance in the race, but I think he’ll beat more home than beat him home.”

Eduardo (green silks) takes third behind Nature Strip in the 2021 Everest.

Pride expected Mazu, with gate two, to repeat his runs in the Shorts and Premiere Stakes, where he was fourth and third respectively, and lead the field. He hoped for a soft track to help Mazu produce his best.

He admitted an Everest call-up was in his thoughts for Mazu, which was picked this week as Yulong’s replacement for the injured Private Harry.

“The way it was starting to fall away, yes, because you could just see that, and that’s flowed through to the Sydney Stakes. I think that’s the weakest Sydney Stakes I’ve seen.

“He’s had the ability to lead races for a while, and I guess most of his good runs are when he does that. This preparation has just come back with a lot of speed in his legs and he’s enjoying doing that.”

Chad Schofield celebrates winning the King Charles III Stakes at Randwick on Ceolwulf.

Pride said Sydney Stakes hopes Golden Mile and Coal Crusher were “a little bit underrated”. Godolphin’s Golden Mile makes his debut for Pride.

“I think the one that people probably aren’t looking at it is Coal Crusher, but his run first up was super and blinkers go straight back on,” he said.

“Golden Mile is going terrific and I know Adam [Hyeronimus] was really keen to ride him. Not a bad horse on his day, a proper group 1 horse, and most of the horses in this race can’t say the same. I was happy for him to be made an [Everest] emergency because he wouldn’t be out of place in the race.”

He said Dragonstone was “probably a run short”.

Ceolwulf won the Epsom Handicap and King Charles double last year but has since been below his best. Pride hoped the presence of cult front-runner Pride Of Jenni and the addition of blinkers would help spark him.

“He’s going to get a high-pressure race, which is to get really going to suit him,” he said. “He’s probably the main one I’ve got in mind when I’m saying I’d like a storm because last year when he won, he won on a [soft] five and he’s crying out for a track with a little bit of give in it.

“Hopefully he gets that. He gets to the addition of blinkers for the first time in his life and I think they’re a really important gear change for him.

“He’s had the foundation to be fit enough to run out a really strong, high-pressure mile, and if there’s any give in that track, he’ll be in the finish.”