Trainer Clayton Douglas unlikely to target The Everest with Giga Kick

Former Everest champion Giga Kick will likely skip this year's $20m sprint as trainer Clayton Douglas aims for a softer return to racing.

Brad Waters

2 min read

August 19, 2025 - 4:05PM

Trainer Clayton Douglas says star sprinter Giga Kick is unlikely to tackle The Everest in 2025. Picture: Getty Images.

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Giga Kick is unlikely to have a third crack at The Everest this spring with trainer Clayton Douglas preferring to negotiate one hurdle at a time.

Giga Kick posted an amazing win in the 2022 edition of The Everest to complete a five-race winning streak to start his career before returning in the autumn of 2023 to win the Group 1 All Aged Stakes and Doomben 10,000.

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But, surprisingly, Giga Kick hasn’t won a race since.

An injury derailed his 2023 spring before he went down narrowly to Bella Nipotina in last year’s Everest.

Giga Kick ran second in the Group 1 Goodwood in Adelaide in May but finished three lengths from classy mare Joliestar at his last run in the Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup at his last run in June.

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Douglas said Giga Kick’s recovery from his latest Queensland trip delayed his start to the spring.

“He was a bit flat after his last run in Queensland so we haven’t got up him at this stage,” Douglas said.

“Therefore, it’s more than likely he won’t be going to The Everest this year.

Giga Kick has not won a race since claiming the Kingsford Smith Stakes in Queensland in 2023. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images

“He’ll potentially just have a Melbourne spring but you never know.

“He’s six now so he’s not getting any younger and he hasn’t won a race since he was three.”

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Douglas said Giga Kick hasn’t reached the galloping stage but he would ramp up the gelding’s work leading up to a possible return in a Group 2 race during the Caulfield Cup carnival.

“There’s potentially a race like the Schillaci for him first-up,” Douglas said.

“We’re just going to poke along with him.

“He’s a star horse but I’d love to see him get back to his best form and winning races.

“The 1100(m) should be good for him first-up.”

Douglas hadn’t locked in Giga Kick’s spring program but noted he had many options for the winner of more than $12.8m over the next three months.

“What he’s done is what he’s done and he’s been a star of the sport but there’s so many sprint races around,” Douglas said.

Originally published as Trainer Clayton Douglas unlikely to target The Everest with Giga Kick