Spicy Martini takes Inglis Everest slot

Inglis has confirmed that Spicy Martini, bought online for $8000, will represent its slot in the $20 million The Everest at Randwick, securing a place for this year’s Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap winner.

Trainer Toby Edmonds and his partner, managing owner Holly Penfold, bought the Coolmore-bred daughter of Justify through Inglis Digital’s March (Early) Online Sale in 2023. The five-year-old has since won six of 13 starts and earned more than $2.7 million.

Spicy Martini has won twice in four starts this year, with her Stradbroke success following a second in the Group 1 Doomben 10,000. She resumed with a fourth in the Group 2 The Shorts at Randwick on September 19, beaten 0.7 lengths behind Mazu, Joliestar and King’s Secret.

Penfold said Inglis had wanted to see the mare return well before committing to a deal. She said Spicy Martini lost one shoe and had two others shift during The Shorts.

“One of the most significant things for us wanting to chase her for our slot is she has run a new peak figure each start this year – including a G1 victory in The Stradbroke – which tells us she is headed on an upward trajectory and is continually improving and nobody knows where her ceiling is yet,” Inglis Bloodstock chief executive Sebastian Hutch said.

Hutch also pointed to her versatility: wins on tracks ranging from Good 4 to Heavy 10, the ability to race on pace or settle back, and two wins at 1200 metres alongside her Group 1 success over 1400 metres.

Spicy Martini’s rise included a Fred Best Classic victory in 2025 that secured a Stradbroke berth. She finished 15th in that year’s Stradbroke before returning to claim her first Group 1 by 1.1 lengths from Sepals on June 13.

Hutch said Inglis graduates had won six editions of The Everest, while horses running in the company’s slot had finished second and third.

“The day she won The Stradbroke back in June, we decided she was going to run at Randwick on October 17, it was just a matter of whether that was going to be in the Sydney Stakes or The Everest and here we are now with an Everest slot thanks to Inglis and we couldn’t be more excited,” Penfold said.

Penfold and Hutch had stayed in contact after he sent her a video Inglis produced following the Stradbroke, she said.

Edmonds will be returning to The Everest after saddling Houtzen in the inaugural running in 2017, when she finished seventh.

“We know she’ll be a big price but she always is, she’s always underestimated and she always overperforms and we wouldn’t have it any other way,” Penfold said.

Taylor Marshall will retain the ride. He has partnered Spicy Martini five times for three wins, including her Stradbroke victory.

The mare will remain at Edmonds’ Gold Coast stable until Everest week. Inglis said Edmonds would drive her to Sydney himself and stable her at Peter Snowden’s Randwick base.