The Everest 2022 Results: Undefeated Giga Kick Wins at 20/1

History was made with the sixth running of the $15 million The Everest (1200m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday with a master training performance by Clayton Douglas seeing three-year-old Giga Kick become the first undefeated champion of the world’s richest turf race.

Three-year-old Giga Kick was huge defeating a quality field in The Everest 2022 in Sydney. Photo: Steve Hart.

Despite wins in the Vain Stakes and Danehill Stakes in the lead-up to his run in the 2022 The Everest field for James Harron Bloodstock, Scissor Kick gelding Giga Kick went around at 20/1 in his acid test on Saturday.

He proved he was up to challenge however flying past the world’s best sprinter, Nature Strip, over the final 100m to become the longest-priced The Everest winner in the event’s six-year history.

Superstar hoop Craig Williams produced a 10/10 ride in Sydney aboard the progressive young champion who joined Yes Yes Yes (2019) as the two three-year-old The Everest winners to date.

“I had a lot of confidence in this horse. He’s a really good horse, he’s a superstar. He probably had the ‘potters’ you know, three-year-old and probably wasn’t good enough, but I had a lot of faith in him,” winning trainer Douglas said after the race.

“He’s such a professional and you can see today, with the 53 kilos when ridden like that, he’s electric.

“It’s a bit of a whirlwind, but he wasn’t in the race to make the numbers up and I had a lot of faith in him. He’s a star.

“Watch out, the new kid is on the block!

“I’ve ridden a lot of good horses in my time, and this horse just does things that people haven’t seen. I noted that on Tuesday and people probably thought I was being a bit cocky, but Craig Williams had a lot of faith in this horse.

“He’s a star and I’m so rapt for the owners, rapt for Jonathon Munz and James Harron, he put his neck on the line to take a three-year-old and do what he’s done. It’s great.”

“There’s a massive team behind me, I work very hard and I’ve got a great bunch of staff. To be honest, it’s a bit of a whirlwind at the moment, but I’m very happy.”

Nine-year-old Eudardo leading The Everest field around with the reigning champion and Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year, Nature Strip, up on his outside right on speed as the odds-on favourite.

Those two old foes went stride for stride cornering together before Nature Strip hit the lead 300m out from the line.

The challengers were coming however including a slashing late charge from Giga Kick who flew home and secured the incredible $6.2 million first prize.

“Clayton Douglas, you talk about how young of a trainer he is but he’s well before his time. I’m just lucky to have been part of the ride. My team around me, my family, thank you for everything throughout the years. This is a really big thrill. The inaugural running of it five years ago I finished second on Vega Magic and I thought we had unfinished business,” The Everest winning hoop Craig Williams said. 

Having been called up to replace the injured Snapdancer for Inglis in the race, the Joe Pride-trained Private Eye ($12) was huge running second only half-length beaten.

Also running on well to complete The Everest trifecta was Peter & Paul Snowden’s Doomben 10,000 winner Mazu ($18) who was a length back third just a nose in front of Nature Strip ($1.90) in fourth.

2022 The Everest Results

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

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