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Former The Everest champion Giga Kick is down in grade and ready to return to winning form as the heavily backed favourite in the half-a-million-dollar Challenge Stakes 2026 field at Randwick this weekend.
A bumper line-up of autumn features litters the Sydney race card on Saturday for Randwick Guineas Day with the key support act outside of the two Group 1s being the Group 2 $500,000 Challenge Stakes (1000m).
Nine short distance specialists are engaged for the popular weight-for-age clash with the highly rated Clayton Douglas-trained gelding Giga Kick leading the way second-up and set to fire.
The now six-year-old son of Scissor Kick hit the big time as a three-year-old with his 2022 The Everest upset at 20/1, and he continues to show up and perform competitively against the best sprinters in the country season in, season out.
He was unbeaten during a short but sweet spring campaign that ended with his narrow but impressive Group 1 Champions Sprint win down the famous Flemington straight on Heavy going.
Fresh this time in he was a little flat when outclassed by the new young gun on the block, Tentyris, in the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning over this distance at HQ.
He heads north now sticking to the same metres but at Randwick where he boasts a strong record (7:2-2-1) with Saturday marking his first Sydney assignment since his second in the 2024 The Everest behind Bella Nipotina.
Giga Kick dons the No. 1 saddlecloth and will be ridden by Nash Rawiller from gate five sitting top of the Challenge Stakes odds at $2.40 and firming through Ladbrokes.com.au.
The key threat occupying the second line of Challenge Stakes betting is the Peter Snowden-trained Raging Force at $4.20.
Drawn a dream in gate two with Tommy Berry retaining the ride, the consistent Cosmic Force gelding is out to be the first three-year-old Challenge Stakes winner since the filly English back in 2016.
He’s won four from eight to date and chases his first victory since a win over Wodeton at Rosehill in last August’s Group 3 San Domenico.
At his latest he was well beaten by Tentyris in the Coolmore Stud Stakes down the Flemington straight back in November, but he’s been eye-catching in his two subsequent trials leading up to his return including a recent 3.5 length winning Rosehill hit out on February 12.
Two other runners are also under double figures for the win with the Michael Freedman-trained Marhoona ($9) and Generosity ($9.50) from the Chris Waller stable considered the others most likely.
Snitzel filly Marhoona is the other youngster taking on the older sprinters in the event second-up off her sixth in the Black Caviar Lightning down south.
The reigning Golden Slipper winner she’s arguably better on her Sydney leg and benefits from a return to NSW now having shaken off the cobwebs last time out with the airborne Zac Lloyd to ride.
As for Generosity, super hoop James McDonald is engaged for the first-up ride on Waller’s Divine Prophet mare who is winless fresh from six previous resuming runs making her a risk to back.
The in-form Joseph Pride-trained The Black Cloud ($18 into $12) meanwhile is the early Challenge Stakes market mover garnering early support from the punters after some solid form this prep.
A five-year-old daughter of Shamus Award, she’s one of the genuine 1000m specialists in the mix (6:2-4-0) and gets her autumn underway after a last start Listed win in Brisbane back in December.
Her stablemate Mazu ($10) is also worth consideration for his 43rd career start, while Mitch Freedman‘s Skybird ($12) is also not without claims to win for the first time since taking out last year’s Black Caviar Lightning.
The 2026 Challenge Stakes is scheduled as Randwick Race 7 at 4:00pm (AEDT) on Saturday’s 10-race card in Sydney.
| 4. Generosity (4) J: James McDonald56.5kg x937xT: Chris Waller | ||
| 9. Marhoona (8) J: Zac Lloyd54kg x13x6T: Michael Freedman | ||
| 2. Mazu (6) J: Rachel King58.5kg 4393xT: Joseph Pride | ||
| 1. Giga Kick (5) J: Nash Rawiller58.5kg x11x5T: Clayton Douglas | ||
| 3. Skybird (3) J: Tim Clark56.5kg 1x69xT: Mitchell Freedman | ||
| 7. Monte Supreme (7) J: Jason Collett56.5kg 1120xT: Bjorn Baker | ||
| 5. In Flight (1) J: Jay Ford56.5kg 1164xT: Joseph Pride | ||
| 6. The Black Cloud (9) J: Sam Clipperton56.5kg 0x212T: Joseph Pride |
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