Clayton Douglas’s The Everest winning three-year-old Giga Kick returned to his best beating home the older rivals and saluting for the punters with an impressive victory in the 2023 All Aged Stakes results.

2023 All Aged Stakes winner Giga Kick was excellent at his first 1400m run. Photo: Steve Hart.

The young son of Scissor Kick enjoyed his first triumph since his upset at Randwick in the world’s richest turf race – the $15 million The Everest – last spring.

He presented fit third-up and ready to fire in the Group 1 $1.5 million All Aged Stakes (1400m), relishing a firming track and his first start at the distance.

“It was great, he’s a high-class horse and I was very confident during the week,” Douglas told Sky Thoroughbred Central.

“He was just going so well and he’s presented so good.

“It took a very good horse today that was going to beat him.

“He went through the line didn’t he, so I think the 1400m was no drama.”

With the track upgraded to a Soft (7) before the previous race, Giga Kick got conditions to suit and jockey Craig Williams guided the $2.90 favourite to a 1.66 length win.

“The way he’s (Clayton Douglas) preparing the horse. The way he puts all his energy into the horse, knowing him. He’s only a three-year-old having his ninth start so it’s really exciting,” winning hoop Williams said post-victory.

“It just shows you, you’ve got big races in Sydney you’ve got people here from Melbourne supporting. It’s OK for me, I’m lucky enough to ride him but he does all the running, Clayton prepares him and I’m lucky to be a part of his journey.

“Full credit has got to go to Clayton Douglas as trainer. I’m lucky enough to get on him race day.

“I haven’t been on his (Giga Kick’s) back, I’ve seen him on TV, until today.

“He’s got a great hand on where he’s at and developing this horse.

He’s a three-year-old having his ninth start and he’s just so exciting. I couldn’t be feeling so blessed to be a part of his team.”

It was youth defeating experience with Annabel Neasham’s evergreen eight-year-old Zaaki ($6) the next best over the line in an eye-catching return from the dual Mackinnon Stakes winning veteran.

“So brave in defeat. He is an old marvel with so much upside. He keeps turning up,” Zaaki’s jockey James McDonald said.

Zaaki tried hard and was going stride-for-stride with the favourite on the home straight before Giga Kick gave a lovely kick inside the final furlong to charge home for his first Group 1 success.

“I’m not a very emotional person but for some reason I’m getting a bit emotional about this one, it means a lot (to win a Group 1),” Douglas said.

“It’s everything we strive to do and it’s phenomenal.”

In third rounding out the All Aged Stakes trifecta just a nose further back was fellow eight-year-old, the James Cummings-trained defending champion Cascadian ($6.50) who was good again on the back of his Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) win at Flemington.

“He was outstanding,” Cascadian’s jockey Nash Rawiller said.

“Just missed the bob for second but was working home better than any horse. He went enormous.”

With the win Giga Kick became the first three-year-old All Aged Stakes champion since Trapeze Artist (2018).

“He paraded better today than he did first-up this preparation,” Williams added of Giga Kick and his potential for the future.

“The exciting part about it is that he’s got so much more to come. We see horses that get developed really well, perfect example two weeks ago Mr Brightside.

“This horse is a three-year-old having nine starts, already won a Group 1.”

“He just did it so easy on a day like today, first run at 1400m. Third-up, he’s a serious horse.”

2023 All Aged Stakes Results & Finishing Order

Table Credit: Racing Australia.