Everest winner ready to kick off new campaign after 12 months on sidelines
By Chris Roots
Trainer Clayton Douglas has spent the past 12 months working towards Saturday and the return of his champion sprinter Giga Kick in the Concorde Stakes.
It’s exactly a year since Giga Kick went from Australia’s champion sprinter to the long-term injury list after pulling the muscle from his hip bone while chasing Imperatriz home in the McEwen Stakes at Moonee Valley.
Giga Kick powers away to win The Everest in 2022.Credit: Getty
It was a peculiar injury that went to the source of power for the sprinter, which had won The Everest, All Aged Stakes and Doomben 10,000 in the previous year.
“There weren’t that many studies into this sort of injury, so we just had to take him along slowly and give him the time he needed,” Douglas said.
“He had to be restricted in his movement, and there was a lot of treadmill work to start with. We gradually got him back into work but only on flat surfaces.
“We never had a date, as such, for him to come back, but we knew he was ready a couple of months ago.
“He could have come back then, but we waited to make sure he was ready.”
Giga Kick’s return comes six weeks out from the race that all sprinters covet the most: The Everest at Randwick on October 19. He doesn’t have a spot in the $20 million slots race as yet but will have many suitors if he makes a winning return. He was the $2.70 favourite on Friday for the group 3 Concorde Stakes (1000m).
There are still 10 slots unfilled in the 12-horse Everest field.Only last year’s runner-up, I Wish I Win, and former West Australian three-year-old Bustling selected thus far.
While it looks as if there are plenty of opportunities for horses to get into The Everest, at least six of the slot-holders will use their pick for their own sprinters.
It is not something Douglas is worried about because he knows that a fit Giga Kick will be at the top of the list of any slot-holder.
Imperatriz leaves Giga Kick (red and white silks) in her wake in the McEwen Stakes last year.Credit: Getty
“If he comes out and does what we think he will do, he will be there on Everest day,” Douglas said.
“I ride him all the time and he feels great, but there are others that have looked at him since he has been back that say he is the old Giga Kick.
“I always stay with John Thompson, and he doesn’t say much but clocks him for me. He just said to me: ‘They will need to be special to beat him on weekend’.
“That’s nice to hear, but it doesn’t lessen the pressure going into Saturday.”
Bella Nipotina and two-time Everest placegetter Private Eye are also looking to push their claims.
Joe Pride watched Private Eye trial behind Giga Kick and believes his sprinter will once again prove he is at his best in the spring.
“He didn’t have his blinkers but showed me enough,” Pride said. “His record tells you he is a better horse in the spring, and they will know he is around on Saturday.”
The newly gelded Aft Cabin wears the Godolphin blue and gets his chance to show he is the right horse for the global racing giant’s slot.
Meanwhile, Golden Slipper winner Lady Of Camelot will attempt to emulate She Will Reign by winning the Moir Stakes as a three-year-old filly at Moonee Valley.
Lady of Camelot dives through on the inside of Coleman to win the Golden Slipper.Credit: Getty
A slot-holder has a keen interest in Lady Of Camelot, and victory would almost certainly see her signed up for The Everest.
Apprentice Zac Lloyd got a clearance from Godolphin to take the ride on Lady Of Camelot in the group 1 and know what is on the line.
“James [Cummings] said go and win a group 1 when I asked him about the ride a few weeks ago, which was great because I was going to ride Aft Cabin in Sydney,” Lloyd said.
“They have both trialled really well, but there is more than a group 1 on line for Lady Of Camelot if we can win. I think she will be in The Everest.”
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