UNBEATEN GIGA KICK WINS SLOT IN THE EVEREST
Rod “Rocket” Douglas has been around horses for a lifetime.
But like many he can’t understand – and probably never will – the mysteries of thoroughbred breeding.
Giga Kick is trained by Douglas’ young nephew Clayton Douglas, giving the young trainer an early thrill in his career.
Now with an unbeaten record from four starts, including the last two at Group level, some big Spring races are being planned for the three-year-old gelding.
And it doesn’t come must bigger than winning a slot in the $15m The Everest (1200m) at Randwick on October 15, via the James Harron slot.
The $2m Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on Victoria Derby Day has also come into calculations.
Douglas is racing manager for the wealthy Jonathan Munz’s Pinecliff Racing which is the racing arm of GSA Bloodstock.
And he wasn’t sure what all the fuss was about when Giga Kick won the Group 3 Vain Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield in August and backed it up by winning the Group 2 Danehill Stakes (1100m) at Flemington last Saturday.
If Douglas had his say, he would have snapped up the $1m-plus offer from Hong Kong after Giga Kick’s Vain Stakes win – but Munz is in the game for the fun of racing.
“He needed the run and knocked up and has nearly run just outside of the track record,” Douglas said.
“He had 58 and a half kilos and all that and missed a trial and missed a gallop and he did a good job.
“I’m not convinced about him and it mystifies me what he does but he keeps on winning.”
Douglas said Munz had negotiated with James Harron for a slot in The Everest for Giga Kick which will tackle the world’s best sprinter Nature Strip.
“The horse needs another run as he was too gross on Saturday,” Douglas said.
“He can go into the Coolmore or if we think he is competitive in The Everest without winning, he can come back for the $3m Darley Champions Sprint (at Flemington on November 5) if he needs an extra week.
“I don’t think it will hurt him and I think the travelling will be the making of him.”
Giga Kick’s dam Rekindled Applause (Royal Applause x Rekindled Affair has produced 11 foals. Her last, a colt by Pariah, was an early September foal last year and it’s expected he’ll be retained by Munz to race and given to Clayton Douglas to train at Mornington.
Douglas said it had been a bit hit and miss with the mare’s foals and it was probably only a bit of good luck that stopped Giga Kick being offered for sale.
Giga Kick was originally entered for the 2021 Scone May Yearling Sale and Douglas estimates he would have reached $10,000 or $15,000.
He said for someone reason it was decided to keep him.
“They said where will we send it and I said give to my nephew and we’ll see if he can get it going and if it’s all right we might trial it and sell it.
“And it was decided to give it to Clayton and that’s how it happened.
“He is now the best three-year-old out of about 40 we had that year.
“There is no rule to it and that’s why it keeps going.”
As for Clayton Douglas, he couldn’t hide his admiration for Giga Kick during his postrace interview on Saturday.
“What a horse,” he said.
“Six weeks between runs, he was probably feeling it late in that contest but it was a great effort.”
Clayton described Giga Kick’s development as unbelievable.
“Like Jayne (racing.com expert Jayne Ivill)) said in the yard, he’s just a completely different horse now. He’s done so well and I think he’s got nice improvement to come. He’s still big enough and still got plenty in the tank.
“He’s done really well, we’ll just see how he pulls up, but I’m really happy with how he is and it was good to get the job done today.
“He’s only going to be better in the autumn but we’ve got a serious horse for the spring anyway.”
Winning jockey Craig Williams said he learnt about the horse on Saturday with the way the gelding is developing.
“Apart from being undefeated, to win this prestigious race, the Danehill leading into the Coolmore, he’s a really exciting horse,” he said after the race.
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