“That’s what they came to see!”
They were the first words a jubilant Clayton Douglas uttered after Giga Kick, the best sprinter Queensland has seen since Black Caviar, reeled off his second Group 1 when scoring the Doomben 10,000.
It was a real family affair as Douglas’s dad Vic, a trainer who has won the famous Grand Annual Steeplechase at Warrnambool three times, broke down with emotion trackside.
“I’m not normally this emotional, I don’t know what’s come over me,” Vic Douglas said.
“I’m just so proud of my boy.
“He’s a wonderful horseman and he deserves every success like this.”
GIGA KICK CLAIMS THE DOOMBEN 10,000. ❤️????@CWilliamsJockey@c_douglasracingpic.twitter.com/AN6NHy7dHp
— 7HorseRacing ???? (@7horseracing) May 13, 2023
Clayton Douglas, with three television cameras focused on his every move as he watched the Doomben 10,000 near the finish post, did have a few nervous moments during the race.
Giga Kick, The Everest champion who started $1.65 to win the Doomben 10,000, had a lovely passage in transit under Craig Williams as leaders Overpass and Prince Of Boom cut at each other upfront.
But Giga Kick still had to dig deep to get past brave runner-up Overpass, who won the rich Perth slot race The Quokka at his last start.
But champions win and that’s what Giga Kick is.
Giga Kick gave trainer Clayton Douglas a second Group 1 victory for the prep. Picture: Grant Peters-Trackside Photography
“I think he still had a bit of petrol left in the tank,” Douglas said.
“He’s a phenomenal horse isn’t he?
“Four runs this preparation, two Group 1 wins and he just got beaten in the TJ Smith.
“It’s great everyone has come out to see him and that’s what we wanted to see, this has been great for us and it’s been great for Queensland racing.”
As good as Giga Kick was, Overpass gave him a fright and trainer Bjorn Baker is keen to take on Douglas’s superstar in The Everest later this year.
Overpass made Giga Kick work hard for the win. Picture: Picture: Grant Peters-Trackside Photography
“Overpass is one of the land’s best sprinters, you don’t go to Perth and back and do what he’s done, I thought he didn’t get enough credit for what he did in Western Australia,” Baker said.
“He did plenty of work today and I would love to meet Giga Kick again in The Everest, I’d love to have a crack at him.
“I was joking with Giga Kick’s connections before the race saying we were going to beat them, but I was confident we would – we almost did.”
Mazu, last year’s Doomben 10,000 champion, ran a mighty race for third and co-trainer Paul Snowden is also looking forward to The Everest in spring.
“We were probably dictated to because of the barriers, if you swap the barriers we would have been right in it,” Snowden said.
One TAB punter was certainly relieved that Giga Kick got the chocolates after plonking a cool $105,000 on him at $1.65.
Douglas with jockey Craig Williams. Picture: Grant Peters-Trackside Photography
Doomben 10,000 second betting pick Aft Cabin ($5.50) finished out of the placings in fourth, but James McDonald was pleased with his work late.
“He’s obviously been a work in progress this preparation, but I think he ran terrifically today,” McDonald said.
“We travelled into the straight beautifully and just the winner sprinted well and just left him a little bit flat footed.
“I was pretty pleased with his work late in the piece.
“He was taking ground off Mazu it was a very good run considering we were taking on some of the best sprinters.”
Giga Kick will now spell in Queensland alongside his best mate Frankie the pint-sized pony who is his constant companion.