Clayton Douglas would have loved to have been a part of the Sydney Autumn carnival with Giga Kick, but the chance to take up what could prove a once-in-a-career opportunity has proven too good to resist.
The 2022 The Everest winner will therefore resume in this Saturday’s The Goodwood (1200m) at Morphettville.
The set-weights-and-penalties conditions of the $1 million Group 1 apply from the start of the 2023/24 racing season, meaning Giga Kick will carry just 54.5kg given he has not won since the 2023 Doomben 10,000.
The Scissor Kick gelding gets 2kg off joint topweights Charm Stone and Climbing Star, mares he would be conceding 6.5kg and 6kg to in a handicap.
The Goodwood will be his first start since a 2-1/4-length seventh in the Champions Sprint at Flemington, but he was beaten just a head by Bella Nipotina in The Everest the start prior after a one-length fourth to I Am Me first-up last spring.
“That’s serious form for a Goodwood,” Douglas said.
“He’s meeting Group 3 winners, as a Group 1 winner, on level weights and he meets the three-year-olds at level weights.
“It just wouldn’t happen in any other race. Even at weight-for-age level we’d be giving them four and five kilos, so we’re just so well weighted.
“He’s still got to go out and do it, absolutely, and it’s been a while between runs but, in saying that, it’s been well-thought-out and I’m pretty happy with where we’ve got him.”
Douglas put Giga Kick into work this campaign with a view to possibly racing earlier in the year, but the conditions of The Goodwood convinced him to head to Adelaide before a trip to Brisbane for the Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m).
“That was pretty much it, but also it’s going to be more well-set-up for the Spring, too,” Douglas said.
“He’s going to have a couple of nice runs, I’m going to be a little bit later (spelling), so then I’ll have that nice residual fitness going into the spring.”
Giga Kick had his first jumpout over 800m at Mornington on April 2 before 1000m hitouts, for a win and a second placing, at Balnarring on April 16 and 30.
“He is ready now, he’s forward, he’s fit and he’s going to take some serious beating,” Douglas said.
Mark Zahra was aboard for the recent jumpouts and will make a rare effort to get down to 54.5kg to ride the $2.25 favourite in Saturday’s race, in which he will jump from barrier 12 in the field of 13.
