Saturday’s $10 million TAB Everest would look very different if it was to be run under handicap conditions instead of at weight for age. Racing NSW’s Senior Handicapper Damien Hay offers the unique perspective based on each contender’s benchmark rating.

“I couldn’t get Chautauqua any lower than 60kg. He is a three-time TJ Smith Stakes winner and has won a further three at top level which includes his Sha Tin victory,” Hay explained.

“With Chautauqua’s 122 rating he’d be giving 3.5kg to Vega Magic and 10kg to Brave Smash, who looks the worst treated in The Everest under the weight for age scale. Brave Smash, on the limit with 50kg, would actually be getting weight off She Will Reign under handicap conditions while he’d be on level terms with the other three-year-old fillies Houtzen and Tulip.”

How the field would look: