Giga Kick is clear favourite to win the feature race at Royal Randwick this weekend and salute in his first turf triumph since The Everest in the 2023 All Aged Stakes.
Reigning The Everest champ Giga Kick chases another Randwick victory on Saturday in the 2023 All Aged Stakes. Photo: Steve Hart.
A quality final field of a dozen weight-for-age stars take to the track on Saturday for the final elite level of the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival, and this year’s Group 1 All Aged Stakes (1400m) is worth a bumper $1.5 million in total prize money.
Tipped to take out the lucrative $870,000 winner’s cheque is the Clayton Douglas-trained Scissor Kick three-year-old Giga Kick out in barrier 11 for jockey Craig Williams.
Williams comes back aboard the classy chestnut after Zac Purton rode the youngster for his close last start second behind I Wish I Win in the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) on a Heavy (9) track here a fortnight back.
Williams rides Giga Kick for the sixth time on the weekend having been aboard for three of the horse’s previous wins including the $15 million The Everest (1200m) last October.
Giga Kick is now the deserving favourite at $3.40 through Ladbrokes going up to 1400m, a trip that looks a non-issue for the fast finisher who is also proven on all going.
In an open market five other runners are under double-figure All Aged Stakes odds including the $6.50 second elect Zaaki returning to racing from barrier six with James McDonald in the saddle.
The Annabel Neasham-trained eight-year-old races for the first time since his successful title defence in the Group 1 VRC Champions Stakes (2000m) at Flemington last Melbourne Cup Carnival.
The evergreen veteran is a genuine fresh horse with an imposing first-up record (9:4-2-1) and his strike-rate on rain-affected ground is also very good.
At his last 1400m run he was dominant winning the Group 2 Tramway Stakes (1400m) on a Heavy (10) here last September by two lengths with J. Mac aboard.
Zaaki rarely runs a bad race, is an out-and-out WFA champion and looked strong in a recent hit-out on April 3 ahead of his much-awaited return.
The early All Aged Stakes market mover now into $7 is the Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Mazu who presents fit third-up from barrier nine with Sam Clipperton in the saddle.
The consistent Maurcie four-year-old hasn’t won a race since the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 (1200m) in the wet at Eagle Farm in May last year.
He has been competitive in plenty since however including his third to Giga Kick in The Everest trifecta in the spring.
This time in he has run 2.15 lengths back fifth fresh at Flemington in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) before an eye-catching TJ Smith third that looks an ideal lead-up into this 1400m assignment.
Following closely at $7.50 joining Giga Kick as the three-year-olds taking on the older horses is the Mick Price & Michael Kent Junior-trained Jacquinot.
Chad Schofield has the ride on the underrated chance from barrier four with Jacquinot looking a big chance fit fourth-up and ready to fire.
The son of Rubick won back-to-back races at Sandown Hillside earlier this prep including his protest victory over Gentleman Roy in the Group 1 CF Orr Stakes (1400m) before a last start sixth in the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m).
He is back in Sydney now having won the Group 1 Golden Rose over the 1400m at Rosehill in the spring before crossing only 1.55 lengths back fifth in The Everest.
Dropping in weight and distance he looks a big chance at a nice price.
Rounding out the hopes under $10 for the win at $9.50 each are then the Joe Pride-trained Private Eye and Godolphin’s last start Australian Cup champ Cascadian who won this event last autumn drawn barriers three and 10 respectively.
The All Aged Stakes is set to run as Race 8 at 3:50pm (AEST) on Saturday’s big 10-race Randwick card in Sydney.
2023 All Aged Stakes Field & Barriers
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Probable Weight | Penalty | Hcp Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 213x13341x | ZAAKI (GB) | Annabel Neasham | James McDonald | 6 | 59kg | 117 | ||
| 2 | 1x10x317x6 | LOST AND RUNNING (NZ) | John O’Shea | Tom Marquand | 12 | 59kg | 115 | ||
| 3 | 82x1217x40 | PRIVATE EYE | Joseph Pride | Brenton Avdulla | 3 | 59kg | 115 | ||
| 4 | 341154×521 | CASCADIAN (GB) | James Cummings | Nash Rawiller | 10 | 59kg | 114 | ||
| 5 | 11x5232x53 | MAZU | Peter & Paul Snowden | Sam Clipperton | 9 | 59kg | 113 | ||
| 6 | x3200x3410 | BANDERSNATCH | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | Jason Collett | 8 | 59kg | 107 | ||
| 7 | 0x20x00x03 | HO O AMAZON (JPN) | Yoshito Yahagi | Ryusei Sakai | 7 | 59kg | 107 | ||
| 8 | 0032x0000x | KOLDING (NZ) | Chris Waller | Kerrin McEvoy | 5 | 59kg | 105 | ||
| 9 | 0x4221x003 | ROCH ’N’ HORSE (NZ) | Michael Moroney | Tim Clark | 1 | 57kg | 113 | ||
| 10 | x82524x130 | ELECTRIC GIRL | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | Zac Lloyd (a) | 2 | 57kg | 107 | ||
| 11 | 6x1159x116 | JACQUINOT | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | Chad Schofield | 4 | 56.5kg | 112 | ||
| 12 | 1x11115x32 | GIGA KICK | Clayton Douglas | Craig Williams | 11 | 56.5kg | 111 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
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