Everest contender sets sights on Premiere Stakes
Giga Kick, last year’s Everest champion, is gearing up for a shot at reclaiming his crown despite a fifth-place finish in the Concorde Stakes. Trainer Clayton Douglas remains upbeat, confident that the sprinter still has plenty to offer as the spring carnival unfolds.
While Giga Kick finished three lengths behind I Am Me in the Concorde, Douglas wasn’t disheartened. “All in all, I’m pretty happy,” he said, noting the challenging race pace and conditions that didn’t suit horses coming from behind. Despite that, Giga Kick showed his trademark turn of foot in the final 50 meters, leaving Douglas optimistic about what’s next.
The plan now is to fine-tune the sprinter with a trial at Canterbury in two weeks before targeting the Group 2 Premiere Stakes on October 5. A win there could be the perfect springboard into The Everest, where Giga Kick currently sits at $10 in the Ladbrokes market.
“Ideally, he goes and wins that and it’s on to The Everest,” Douglas said, as the connections look to secure a slot in the $20 million feature, where I Wish I Win and Jolie Star lead the market at $5.
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