Racing
Everest winner back in Sydney for latest Challenge
Top jockey Nash Rawiller has been booked to ride Giga Kick in the Challenge Stakes.
Giga Kick is set to make his first appearance in Sydney in almost 18 months when he steps out in the Challenge Stakes at Randwick on his way to The Championships.
The top sprinter hasn't raced in the harbour city since finishing runner-up to Bella Nipotina in the 2024 The Everest (1200m), with Saturday's sprint over 1000m at Randwick his first test, weather depending.
Douglas floated Giga Kick to Sydney on Saturday and will make a final decision on whether the gelding runs after some work on Tuesday morning.
The trainer is also on weather watch but is keen to run the gelding in preparation for the Group 1 T J Smith (1200m) at Randwick on April 4.
"Nash Rawiller will ride him. He will probably have a sit on him on Tuesday morning," Douglas said.
"Everything seems to be on target.
"Hopefully we will get a bit of give in the ground. That's going to be the main thing for him.
"It will be another run towards the T J and then hopefully we're ready to go."
Douglas is following the same program as he did in 2023 when Giga Kick finished third to Passive Aggressive in the Challenge Stakes (1000m) before being runner-up to I Wish I Win in the T J Smith.
Stablemate Top Reward has also earned a trip to Sydney after resuming with a solid fifth to Australian Guineas winner Observer in the Autumn Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.
The three-year-old has been entered for the Rosehill Guineas (2000m) and ATC Australian Derby (2400m), but first stop is the Group 2 Phar Lap Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on March 14.
"He will trial on Thursday at Randwick and then it's nine days to the race," Douglas said.
"It will be a month between runs, but the trial in between will do him good.
"(Stepping up from) 1400 to 1500 will suit him. I might even put a set of blinkers on him in the trial."
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