Tempted Stuns Ka Ying Rising in The Everest 2026: Results, $7M Prize and Field
Tempted edged defending champion Ka Ying Rising in The Everest 2026 at Randwick. See the finish, Chad Schofield’s ride, prize money, race time and full field.
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The Everest looked set for another Ka Ying Rising celebration. Instead, Tempted turned last year’s result around in a dramatic Randwick finish, holding off the Hong Kong superstar by half a neck to win Australia’s $20 million sprint. Chad Schofield’s ride delivered Tempted the biggest victory of her career and ended Ka Ying Rising’s remarkable 21-race winning streak.
Who won The Everest 2026?
Tempted won The TAB Everest at Royal Randwick on Saturday, October 17, with Chad Schofield aboard. Trained by Ciaron Maher, the mare came into the race as a major challenger to defending champion Ka Ying Rising, but few finishes could have been closer: the Hong Kong star surged late and missed the win by half a neck.
Ka Ying Rising finished second, while Joliestar took third. The result reversed the top two placings from 2025, when Ka Ying Rising beat Tempted to claim the title.
How Tempted beat Ka Ying Rising
The draw and the early positioning proved crucial. Tempted started from barrier one and settled close to the pace. Ka Ying Rising, ridden by Zac Purton, drew barrier 11 in the 12-horse field and was caught wide, settling further back than his connections would have wanted.
Schofield moved Tempted forward in the straight and sent her to the lead. She opened a gap, then had to withstand Ka Ying Rising’s powerful late charge. The champion closed rapidly, but Tempted held on at the line. The soft track and the contrasting runs from their barriers added to the tactical challenge, though the narrow margin showed how close the contest was.
Ka Ying Rising’s winning streak ends
Ka Ying Rising arrived as the defending champion and the strong favourite. His second-place finish was his first defeat in 22 starts, ending a streak of 21 consecutive victories. The loss was especially striking because he had won the 2025 Everest ahead of Tempted.
Despite missing out, his late run kept the race alive to the finish. Joliestar also finished strongly to take third, only a neck behind Ka Ying Rising, according to the South China Morning Post.
How much prize money did Tempted win?
The Everest carried total prize money of A$20 million. Tempted’s first-place allocation was A$7 million. The scheduled purse for second was A$2.9 million and A$2 million for third. Racing NSW’s race listing also showed payments for the remaining finishers, with A$700,000 allocated to each horse from seventh through 12th.
The advertised finishing allocation is not necessarily the amount retained by a horse’s owners. The Everest uses a slot-holder system, and agreements between slot holders and horse connections can determine how prize money is shared.
What time was The Everest 2026?
The Everest was scheduled as Race 7 at Royal Randwick, with a start time of 4:15 p.m. AEDT on October 17. The Group 1 race covered 1,200 metres.
The Everest 2026 field and top finishers
Twelve horses started in the 2026 race. The top three were:
| Finish | Horse | Jockey |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Tempted | Chad Schofield |
| 2nd | Ka Ying Rising | Zac Purton |
| 3rd | Joliestar | James McDonald |
The field also included Jimmysstar, Giga Kick, Angel Capital, Caballus, Headwall, Ninja, Spicy Martini, Savvy Hallie and Blue Door.
Questions readers ask
Who won The Everest 2026?
Tempted, ridden by Chad Schofield and trained by Ciaron Maher, won The Everest at Royal Randwick on October 17, 2026.
Did Ka Ying Rising win The Everest 2026?
No. Ka Ying Rising finished second, beaten by half a neck. It was his first defeat in 22 starts and ended his 21-race winning streak.
How much prize money did the winner of The Everest receive?
The first-place allocation was A$7 million from The Everest’s total A$20 million prize pool. Slot-holder agreements may affect how the prize money is shared.
What time did The Everest 2026 start?
The race was scheduled for 4:15 p.m. AEDT on Saturday, October 17, at Royal Randwick. It was run over 1,200 metres.
Who finished second and third in The Everest 2026?
Ka Ying Rising finished second, and Joliestar finished third behind winner Tempted.
