The Everest barrier draw has now also been released and updated below with Nature Strip drawing barrier 12 of 12.

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The official The Everest 2022 final field and jockeys have been confirmed for the sixth edition of the world’s richest turf race this weekend in Sydney.

Racing at Royal Randwick on Saturday is headlined by a star-studded field of 12 of the country’s best sprinters facing off for $15 million in prize money in The Everest (1200m).

All twelve The Everest horses plus four emergencies have now been named.

The Everest barrier draw was conducted by Racing NSW stewards on Tuesday morning, but will be kept confidential until being released publicly during a function this evening.

The Everest betting at all Wagering Operators including Ladbrokes.com.au has been suspended until 9pm (AEDT) tonight.

Chris Waller’s Champion Racehorse of the Year and defending The Everest winner Nature Strip is hot favourite to emulate Redzel (2017, 2018) and become the second two-time champion of the event.

The heroic son of Nicconi won The Everest at his third attempt last year and returns as an eight-year-old in equally impressive form this season.

A winner of over $19 million in stakes, Nature Strip was tested at an international level at Royal Ascot earlier in the year winning the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes (1006m) in the UK by over four lengths.

His Australian return on September 17 at Randwick put the writing on the wall for another huge performance in The Everest with the evergreen veteran winning the Group 2 The Shorts (1100m) fresh.

Fourth in the race 12 months ago, the John O’Shea-trained Lost And Running is considered the danger this season on the back of his two good lead-up runs.

The Per Incanto gelding was a close third in The Shorts before a fighting victory in the Group 2 Premiere Stakes (1200m) on Heavy going to head into The Everest a last start winner for jockey Hugh Bowman.

From the opening five editions of The Everest there has been just one three-year-old winner when the Waller-trained Yes Yes Yes saluted back in 2019.

This weekend the Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr-trained Jacquinot is one of two three-year-olds out to be the next representing slot holders Coolmore in the event.

The progressive young Rubick colt has Damian Lane in the saddle again on the back of his eye-catching Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) win in Sydney when flashing late out wide to run down his rivals at Rosehill Gardens.

He comes back from 56.5kg to 53kg at weight-for-age and looks a livewire chance against the older more seasoned stars in this year’s The Everest.

The other three-year-old The Everest contender is the undefeated Clayton Douglas-trained Giga Kick racing for James Harron Bloodstock.

The son of Scissor Kick is four-from-four after his narrow last start Flemington win in the Group 2 Danehill Stakes (1100m), but is yet to race on Heavy going or over 1200m giving jockey Craig Williams quite a task on Saturday.

At the other end of the age scale out to be the oldest The Everest winner in history is the Joe Pride-trained nine-year-old Host gelding Eduardo.

Still only lightly raced for his age, Saturday will be the chestnut’s 30^th career start and third in The Everest.

He ran 11^th in 2020 to Classique Legend before an improved third to Nature Strip last year under a half-length beaten having won The Shorts in the lead-up.

In his six subsequent runs he has finished out of the top three just once when fourth in a very close The Shorts result second-up this prep ahead of his third pop at The Everest trophy.

Trainer Pride is dually represented this year with Private Eye also gaining a start for Inglis after their original contender, Snapdancer, was ruled out due to injury.

Private Eye, winner of the 2021 Epsom Handicap, was excellent first-up winning the Group 2 Gilgai Stakes (1200m) down the famous ‘Straight Six’ at Flemington on October 1st carrying 60kg to a big 2.25 length victory.

The other horse to finish in The Everest trifecta in 2021 and seemingly forgotten in betting this season is the Hawkes Racing-trained Masked Crusader.

He was the first horse to secure a slot in the 2022 edition snapped up by Max Whitby & Neil Werrett as he looks to go one better than his close second last spring.

Whitby & Werrett are hoping he can deliver them with success in their sixth attempt following their previous runs with Vega Magic (2nd in 2017), Graff (5th in 2018), Sunlight (10th in 2019) and Trekking (4th in 2020).

Masked Crusader had a disappointing autumn with his four subsequent runs since The Everest 2021 all producing unplaced performances

He ran sixth first-up in The Shorts results some three lengths beaten at 25/1, before improving with an eye-catching third in his Group 2 Premiere Stakes title defence.

The current Heavy track conditions are the problem for Masked Crusader however who would prefer firmer going.

See below for the full The Everest 2022 final field, the race set to run as Randwick Race 7 at 4:15pm (AEDT) on Saturday.

Click here for the latest The Everest 2022 betting odds courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.

2022 The Everest Final Field & Barrier Draw

Table Credit: Racing Australia.