Clayton Douglas and Giga Kick have another member of the cheer squad as they look to break new ground by winning Saturday’s Moir Stakes at Sandown.
The 2022 Everest winner has had a perfectly timed preparation for his spring return, but his trainer has already had the best news of his week last Sunday.
That’s when Elsie Douglas arrived a day late, to become the fourth member of the Douglas clan, a sister to two-year-old Isla.
“Lydia was due on Saturday and Elsie arrived on Sunday, and we are very happy,” Douglas said.
“The little one and mum are home and they will be watching on Saturday.
“It puts Saturday into context a bit because Sunday was the happiest I will be all week.”
Douglas was back to work with Giga Kick at Sandown on Tuesday, and was happy to see Mark Zahra saunter past him on the lead pony in a final hitout.
There is a calmness about Douglas with Giga Kick that comes from the disappointments and highs of the past four years.
“He’s going good. He has tightened up good in the last month,” Douglas said.
“I was very happy with him last spring, and he had two runs and won them both [including the Champions Sprint on a wet track].
“This time in, his lead in work has been as good as it has ever been, he has not taken a backward step. No problems.
“Everything has a sense of timing about it, and he just hits every mark.
“His form will tell you he is not a 1000m horse and takes a run to find his best, but I think Sandown is really in our favour.”
Giga Kick has the runs on the board against a field of emerging sprinters as the winner of a Champions Sprint, Doomben 10,000 and All Aged Stakes to go with his Everest.
He is also an Everest runner-up and has twice run second in the TJ Smith, which is a record unmatched by an Australian sprinter in the past four years.
“At weight-for-age, he’s probably well in when you look at his rating compared to the rest of them and what he has done,” Douglas said.
“If this race was at the Valley we probably don’t run, but Sandown suits us, even though we are going to get back.
“He has had a few goes at 1000m and probably has struggled.
“I think there will be a lot of pressure and the Sandown 1000m will have him that little bit closer.
“If he is a length or two closer than normal at the 300 look-out.
“I have a feeling he will be getting out of the ground late.”
Whatever happens on the track on Saturday, Douglas will head home with a smile.
“When we started this [adventure] with Giga Kick, it was just the horse. In Sydney last year we had Isla running around with him,” Douglas said. “And I’ll be looking forward to getting home to Lydia and Elsie on Saturday night.”
