Racing
Giga kicking the prizemoney door down
Giga Kick can become just the seventh horse to smash the $15 million prizemoney barrier with a top two finish in the $1 million Black Caviar Lightning (1000m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Trainer Clayton Douglas said Giga Kick goes into the first Group 1 of the year having retained some "residual fitness" from a brief but successful spring campaign when the six-year-old seemed to recapture the form that won him the 2022 The Everest.
"He's in good order,'' Douglas said. "He will do a piece of work Tuesday morning then he will be off to the Lightning Stakes.''
In latest TAB Fixed Odds betting for the Lightning, Godolphin's crack colt Tentyris is the $2.50 favourite ahead of Giga Kick at $4.50.
Giga Kick won the only two starts of his spring campaign last year including the Group 1 Champions Sprint at Flemington to take his career earnings to a monstrous $14,884,345 to be eighth on the all-time list and only just behind Verry Elleegant on $14,885,247.
Only six horses in Australian racing history have won more prizemoney than Giga Kick and Verry Elleegant including all-time great Winx who tops the list with $26,451,175.
Three of the top six in the prizemoney rankings are Everest winners with Bella Nipotina ($22,757,624) and Nature Strip ($20,765,008) second and third respectively on the all-time list while Redzel ($16,444,000) is sixth.
If Giga Kick wins or finishes second in the Lightning, he will pass the $15 million prizemoney barrier which is extraordinary given the chestnut gelding has only had 19 career starts, winning nine including three at Group 1 level.
"It was great to see Giga Kick do what he did in the spring,'' Douglas said.
"He won very well at Caulfield first-up then he was so good winning at Flemington.
"He hasn't had a lot of time off since but he's had the one barrier trial going into the Lightning and is coming up well.''
Top jockey Ethan Brown has been booked for the Giga Kick ride in the Lightning with regular jockey Mark Zahra out injured.
But Douglas is likely to be looking for another rider when Giga Kick continues his preparation in Sydney.
The trainer said Giga Kick is likely to be switched to Sydney after the Lightning and have his next run in the Group 2 $500,000 Challenge Stakes (1000m) at Royal Randwick on March 7 – the same day the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) is run at Flemington where Brown is expected to be riding Jimmysstar.
"Giga Kick will go to the Challenge then the TJ Smith (Group 1 $3million, Royal Randwick, 1200m, April 4) and All Aged Stakes (Group 1 $1.5 million, Royal Randwick, 1400m, April 18),'' Douglas said.
"It's a straightforward program, it's pretty much set in stone and I don't think there will be much deviation.''
| No | Horse | Prizemoney |
| 1 | Winx | $26,451,174 |
| 2 | Bella Nipotina | $22,757,624 |
| 3 | Nature Strip | $20,765,008 |
| 4 | Via Sistina | $19,402,448 |
| 5 | Mr Brightside | $18,898,548 |
| 6 | Redzel | $16,444,000 |
| 7 | Verry Elleegant | $14,885,247 |
| 8 | Giga Kick | $14,884,345 |
| 9 | Makybe Diva | $14,527,110 |
| 10 | I Wish I Win | $12,884,303 |
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