Trainer Clayton Douglas has given Giga Kick the thumbs up after watching his star sprinter in a Randwick barrier trial on Monday and insists the 2022 Everest winner will take plenty of benefit from the hit-out as he builds towards a long-awaited race return.
Giga Kick stepped out in a star-studded 850-metre heat and finished second behind Golden Slipper winner Lady Of Camelot.
“I was really happy with him,” Douglas said.
“He’s still got another trial to come but he began well, was probably a little bit keen early but came back and travelled nicely. And he looked like he’ll take nice improvement out of that trial.
“Obviously the winner of the trial is very good and they spaced the others. He’s had a good stretch of the legs here this (Monday) morning.”
Douglas has another Randwick trial pencilled in for Giga Kick on August 30, before a planned race return in the Group 3 Concorde Stakes (1000m) at Randwick on September 7.
A winner of seven of his 11 starts, Giga Kick has not raced since finishing third in the McEwen Stakes at The Valley in September last year because of a muscle injury.
Champion jockey James McDonald was due to ride Giga Kick in Sydney last spring before the gelding’s campaign had to be aborted.
McDonald instead jumped aboard Giga Kick for the first time in Monday’s trial on a Heavy-rated Kensington track.
Giga Kick had a jumpout at Mornington recently as part of his spring build-up, before travelling to Sydney to continue ramping up his preparation.
“It was a good trial,” Douglas said of Monday’s hit-out.
“He’s a bigger, stronger version. He began well from the machines and James was really happy with the horse.
“Obviously it was 12 months in the waiting, really (for McDonald to ride Giga Kick). He was supposed to ride him in the Premiere Stakes last year. He was very happy with the horse.
“He said he will take nice improvement off this morning’s trial, but he gave him a nice feel.
“I told him the plans and he thought that we are spot on for where we need him to be.”
Douglas is hopeful to get Giga Kick to The Everest again this spring and plans for that to be the gelding’s third run of the preparation after the Concorde and Premiere Stakes.
While McDonald was pleased with Giga Kick’s trial, the star hoop said nothing had been confirmed yet about him riding the star sprinter in his race return.
“I don’t know yet, we’ll work it out later,” McDonald said.
“He was good. He was a bit ring rusty, but he’ll tidy up nicely from today (Monday).
“He’s a really nice horse.”
Lady Of Camelot won the trial by 1.25 lengths from Giga Kick, with 5.5 lengths back to Linebacker in third.
The heat also featured Randwick Guineas and Doncaster Mile winner Celestial Legend and the Chris Waller-trained Democracy Manifest.
– racing.com