Giga Kick trainer Clayton Douglas got a first-hand look at what his stable star can do and he's convinced The Everest winner can breakthrough for his first Group One win on Saturday.
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An impressive track gallop on Tuesday morning rounded off Giga Kick's preparation for the $1.5 million All Aged Stakes (1400 metres) at Randwick on Saturday.
Former top jumps jockey and now successful trainer Douglas, who rode Giga Kick in the 1200m gallop this week, was excited with the work from his lightly raced three-year-old.
Giga Kick has already won more than $7 million in prizemoney and Douglas, 28, told ACM Racing he's ready to bounce back into the winner's stall on the last major race of Sydney's autumn season.
"I couldn't fault Giga Kick's work," Douglas told ACM after trackwork. "It was strong work. I let Giga Kick stride out strongly over the last 600m of the 1200m gallop.
"He hit the line well. I ride him in all his track-work and his work on Tuesday is as good as he's ever done. His work was even better when you consider I weigh 61 kilograms and he drops down to 56.5kgs for Saturday's race.
"The All Aged will see Giga Kick have his first start over 1400m but I've got no doubt he'll run out the extra 200m. He's always indicated to me that he's going to be better suited over 1400m instead of the 1200m."
Giga Kick caught punters by surprise winning the $15 million Everest at Randwick in October last year. The surprise element is gone this time, with punters backing him as the favourite for the All Aged after two placings in the Challenge Stakes and Tommy Smith at Randwick at his past two outings.
"The early betting markets have Giga Kick the favourite and I think that assessment is about right," he said.
"I've been very happy with Giga Kick's two first-up runs in the Challenge and Tommy Smith. I thought his second placing in the Tommy Smith last time was a sensational performance.
"I Wish I Win won the race and he is a top horse. It was no disgrace to get beat by I Wish I Win. The track for the Tommy Smith was bottomless and jockey Zac Purton said Giga Kick never really handled the heavy track.
"Zac said Giga Kick's class helped him run second. I think Giga Kick's better when there's a bit of give in the racing surface. The early track reading for Saturday is a soft five and that suits us right down to the ground. We'll have no complaints if the track has that rating for the All Aged."
Top jockey Craig Williams, who has ridden Giga Kick to three of his five wins including victory in last year's Everest, replaces Purton in the saddle for Saturday's Group One classic
"I've got no complaints with the ride by Zac in the Tommy Smith," Douglas said. "I thought Zac rode a great race but Craig has a great understanding of Giga Kick having rode the horse in five of his eight starts.
"They're both world class jockeys. It's just great to have Craig back from injury to ride the horse for us in the All Aged."
Giga Kick has drawn barrier 11 in the 12 horse field and Douglas said the gate is not ideal.
"In an ideal world I would have loved to have drawn say between four to seven but the marble came up 11," he said.
"There's nothing we can do about that but I'm confident Craig will get Giga Kick into a good position in the run. I'm thinking we'll just be camped off the leaders.
"It's a very good All Aged field with the likes of Zaaki, Private Eye, Cascadian, Mazu and Jacquinot running. No race anywhere is easy to win, especially a group one. It's for sure they don't give Group One races away easily."
Douglas, who has 25 horses in work at his Mornington stables rode Gold Medals to victory in the time honoured Warrnambool Grand Annual Steeplechase in 2018 and 2021 before retiring from the saddle and said there's a different type of pressure training horses to riding.
"I was lucky to win two Grand Annuals as a jumps jockey," he said. "The Grand Annual is the grand final for jumps jockeys - every jumps jockey wants to win the Annual.
"There's a lot of pressure when you're riding but I've been training horses since August 2020 and the pressure is different especially when you've got a horse like Giga Kick. Jockeys go home after a race and switch off but the pressure never leaves a trainer.
"The horses are always in the back of trainers minds. The expectations are really high and that creates a lot of pressure in itself. Don't get me wrong I love training horses. I'm fortunate to have a stable of good young horses especially my headline act Giga Kick."
Bet365 rate Giga Kick as the $3 early favourite for the All Aged Stakes.
