Clayton Douglas may have shocked the wider racing world when he engineered an upset in the $15 million Everest but it came as no surprise to winning rider Craig Williams.
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Williams is one of Australia's best jockeys, a seasoned professional who has ridden around the world.
He is also 18 years older than Douglas, but Williams says the trainer's relative youth in racing terms and his inexperience were never going to be stumbling blocks on the way to collecting Everest riches with Giga Kick.
"Clayton Douglas, you know, you talk about how young a trainer he is, but he's well before his time," Williams said.
"I'm just lucky I've been part of the ride."
Douglas carved out a successful career as a jumps jockey before the 27-year-old turned his attention to training in 2020.
He has produced a steady flow of winners but the Everest windfall against Australia's best horses and trainers promises to be a life-changing result.
At only his fifth start, Giga Kick became the second three-year-old to win the Everest, swelling his earnings to $7.1 million.
He also stands as the only undefeated Everest winner and is likely to be given his chance to build on a perfect record during the Melbourne Cup carnival next month.
But whether there is a return clash with Nature Strip at Flemington remains to be seen.
As disappointed as he was for Nature Strip to be denied in a bid for successive Everest wins, trainer Chris Waller said his stable star would be seen again in the spring.
"We'll have a chat to the owners and work out where we stand, so he will run again," Waller said.
"There's no problem there, providing he pulls up well. You will see him in two or three weeks."
Australian Associated Press
