While Pieper said he was a “bit disappointed” following She Will Reign’s run in the $10 million race, where the filly finished 11^th as Redzel won the sprint, but he didn’t need to look far back to be reminded of She Will Reign’s greatness.

“She’s been fantastic. She’s already won two group ones,” Pieper said.

Pieper is a fan of The Everest concept but also noted the Randwick facilities were stretched on Saturday.

“It was huge, it was just madness,” he said.

Meanwhile, After All That, a six-year-old gelding trained by Scone-based Rodney Northam, won the he $200,000 TAB Anniversary Highway (1400m).

Legendary bush jockey Robert Thompson piloted the $11 chance to victory, saying: “It is like winning The Everest for us battling country people.”

Race favourite Suncraze, prepared by Tamworth-based Melanie O’Gorman, flashed home to finish second in a photo finish.

Touching on his relationship with Thompson and the jockey’s rails run on After All That, Northam said: “We’ve been together for a while and he has pulled out one of his special ones today. The shortest way home is the fence. That’s what he always says.”

Suncraze has never finished worse than second in his 10-start career, which includes three wins for the son of Henrythenavigator.