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Vega Magic will be out to go one better this time around, as he headlines a strong field for the second running of The Everest.

It’s the world’s richest race on turf, with 12 of the fastest horses competing for the $13 million in prizemoney on Saturday, October 13 at Royal Randwick.

In the first edition of the race, Redzel beat out Vega Magic by a length, although with a price tag of $7 on its back, Vega Magic is the horse to beat in this year’s field.

Damien Oliver rode Vega Magic to fourth in the recent New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie Stakes, and the six-year-old will enter the race off a six-week spell.

He’ll be contenting with Trapeze Artist ($7.50) and Santa Ana Lane ($7.50), who follow Vega Magic closely in the betting stakes.

Trapeze Artist comes in on the back of a fourth and third placed finish over the past month, after finishing just outside the places during the Santos Coffee Premiere Stakes on Saturday.

The top five from that race will all run in The Everest, with Santa Ana Lane taking home the prize money that day.

The six-year-old gelding ran well in a close finish, beating out Shoals ($8.50) and In Her Time ($8) by 0.2 and 0.3 of a length respectively.

Redzel was 2.1 lengths behind, although last year’s winner is more than a chance Saturday week, after leading from start to finish during the first edition of the race.

His form has been okay, given he won the Group 3 Concorde Stakes on September 1, and jockey Kerrin McEvoy spoke highly of the six-year-old after the race, following two defeats at the end of his autumn campaign.

"It is good to see him back," he said. "He has taken all before him and a few people jumped off but he has been pleasing us at home and it's good to have him back and in winning form.

"He travelled really well today and topping the rise James (McDonald) pressed the button on his mare (Invincible Star) and I was still cruising so I just bided my time but he always had the race in his grasp and he has pulled up well from the run."

US Navy Flag ($11), Viddora ($13), Brave Smash ($13), Graff ($15), Home Of The Brave ($17), Le Romain ($21) round out the field, with the winner to take home $6 million.

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