Australia Preview: September 5, 2026

The countdown to the $14.4 million Everest heats up in Australia this weekend with two major contests: the Concorde in Sydney and the Moir in Melbourne. Both races are likely to feature horses that contest the big race, as Australians look for a horse that might be able to stop Ka Ying Rising (who resumes racing himself in Hong Kong on Sunday) from winning their richest race again.

Randwick, Race 8, 1:55 a.m. Saturday ET: 

Concorde (G2), 1,000 meters (about 5 furlongs), three-year-olds and up

• $30 win: #4 Tempted ($30)
• $2 trifecta: 4 with 1,2 with 1,2,3,5,7 ($16)
• $1 trifecta: 1 with 2, 4 with 2,3,4,5,7 ($8)

If you’re looking for horses to oppose Ka Ying Rising, you might as well focus on the horse that got closest to him in the last 12 months. #4 Tempted (1-1) was just a spring three-year-old when she ran Ka Ying Rising to 1 1/4 lengths in the 2025 Everest, and she wasn’t beaten in three subsequent starts. All were against her own age, but the horses she defeated included Concorde opponents #2 Marhoona (7-1) and #3 Beadman (26-1), both high-quality horses. She is unbeaten fresh from a spell and will be hard to roll.

Perhaps her most interesting opponent is #1 Headwall (7-2). He won this race last year but suffered a leg injury soon after and hasn’t raced at all since then. He’s a $1.57 million-earner, and he’s come through pre-season barrier trials well. He should make his mark.

Others to consider for exotics are #5 Roselyn’s Star (15-2), who has the advantage of seasoning on his side, having won a race in July, and #7 Beskar (17-1).

It’s hard to go past Tempted in this race, though Headwall could make it a contest.

Sandown Hillside, Race 8, 2:15 a.m. Saturday ET

Moir (G1), 1,000 meters (about 5 furlongs), three-year-olds and up

• $30 show: #7 My Gladiola ($30)
• $1 trifecta: 7,13 with 1,7,13 with 1,4,6,7,9,11,13 ($8) 

Down in Melbourne, a filly that could be this year’s Tempted seeks Group 1 glory in the Moir. #13 Natural Fling (4-1), by Australia’s boom young sire Home Affairs, has looked very speedy in three starts to date, and at her last start she was far too good for a field of three-year-old fillies in the Quezette (G3) Aug. 15. 

This is a much deeper field, but with just 110 pounds on her back, she is a very good chance. She will probably start shorter than her morning-line odds, though gate 13 will be a challenge.

Former Everest winner #1 Giga Kick (11-2) resumes racing here; he usually runs well fresh, though five furlongs is arguably a bit short for him these days. He can’t be ignored for exotics, however.

The morning-line favorite is #7 My Gladiola (5-2), though that price may end up being longer as she is closer to 10-1 in local markets. What she has that most of her opponents don’t is Group 1 form at five furlongs, having finished second in the Lightning (G1) earlier this year. It seems a little strange to say a morning-line favorite could be a good value play, but that’s entirely possible with My Gladiola. 

Horses to consider for exotics are #4 Generosity (15-2), #6 Geegees Mistruth (15-1), #9 Cavalry Girl (11-1), and #11 Extragalactic (17-2).