The upcoming Group 2 McEwen Stakes event, scheduled for early September at The Valley, has become a spring highlight as it promises a tantalizing showdown between two new sprint sensations, Giga Kick and I Wish I Win.
In a turn of events, both horses are gearing up for a head-to-head clash that could set the tone for the rest of the spring.
Giga Kick’s connections had hinted last month that the 1000-metre Valley dash on September 9 was likely to be the dual G1 winner’s first spring engagement.
Their focus would then shift towards defending his Everest title.
This week, I Wish I Win’s trainer and part-owner Peter Moody echoed a similar sentiment.
The G1 TJ Smith Stakes winner, who just recently edged out Giga Kick in an exhilarating finish, also has the McEwen Stakes penciled in his schedule.
Reflecting on the upcoming duel on his podcast ‘Moody On The Mic’, Moody said, “It’s amazing how the preps go.”
“I Wish I Win has been at home in the paddock in Melbourne with his rugs on and playing in the mud.” – He goes back into work about Monday week. Meanwhile, Giga Kick is up in Queensland on the back of a very successful prep and there’s probably a chance they might meet in that McEwen Stakes to kick the spring off.”
“That would be a hell of a clash quite possibly, without being 100 per cent sure.”
Fellow trainer Clayton Douglas, who joined Moody on the podcast, recollected a light-hearted exchange he had with Moody during an early trial between Giga Kick and I Wish I Win.
“I Wish I Win and Giga Kick trialed at Cranbourne at the start of their prep. It was quite funny as ‘Moods’ came to me as we were walking out of the coffee shop and he said, ‘I’ll beat you in the TJ,’ and I said, ‘I bet you won’t.'”
“I Wish I Win glided straight past Giga Kick, so I think he can read the future, Moods. He’s not bad at what he does.”
Giga Kick, after an eventful start to his career marked by a near-death experience due to colic, has displayed an admirable fighting spirit.
Douglas mused about this remarkable journey, saying, “I don’t know if there is anything in it, but he is such a tough horse. I think probably something like that… I don’t know whether that turned him into the horse he is or what happened. But he’s obviously had a hard start to life and now he is what he is. It’s amazing that I’ve got a horse like him.”
Originally, Giga Kick was given to Douglas with the idea of prepping him for a potential sale, most likely to Hong Kong.
He recalled, “He came to me with the idea that we might trade him over to Hong Kong if he trialed up well.
That was probably the first port of call with him.
Then he started doing what he’s doing and won his first start unbelievably well, and then kicked on from there.” Now, the resilient horse is looking to make an impressive mark on the McEwen Stakes, adding another exciting chapter to his story.
