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In 2022, the biggest crowd ever assembled for the most exciting turf race in history. Clayton Douglas' unbeaten 3YO Giga Kick stunned the favourites Private Eye and Mazu to claim the Everest. As the pack neared the home stretch, it appeared that Nature Strip would race his keeping, but the kid from Victoria, Giga Kick, was not to be denied and he stormed home to triumph.
The Scissor Kick gelding Giga Kick became the first undefeated winner of the Everest in the race's six-year history, joining Yes Yes Yes (2019) as unbeaten 3YO to win the weight-for-age Randwick main sprint. Craig Williams, a world-famous jockey, put in a stellar performance atop Giga Kick, while Douglas, a horse trainer from Mornington, did an excellent job of getting the horse in prime condition for the race.
The biggest crowd to ever witness the world’s richest turf race live was rewarded with a thrilling 2022 The Everest result as Clayton Douglas’s undefeated 3YO Giga Kick scored an upset win over Private Eye and Mazu.
“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, 3YO and probably wasn’t good enough, but I had a lot of faith in him,” Douglas told the media post-win. “He’s such a professional and you can see today, with the 53 kilos when ridden like that, he’s electric.Watch out, the new kid is on the block,” he added
Nature Strip ($1.9) was favoured to win The Everest for a second consecutive year, and he did not disappoint. The $19 million international Gr 1 star led with 300 metres to go after matching strides with the front-running Eduardo. However, in the final 100 metres, Giga Kick surged from behind to defeat the odds-on favourite, and Joe Pride's Private Eye impressed in a swift second place finish for the Inglis stable. Mazu ($18), trained by Peter & Paul Snowden, finished third in this year's The Everest and edged off Nature Strip for a position in the trifecta.
“He was awesome. I have always been a big fan of his. To see him sprint at that level. I thought I was the winner there for two strides. I had the big horse covered in front of me and then the 3YO got me late. He was awesome,” Private Eye’s hoop Brenton Avdulla said.
“I couldn’t have been more proud of his effort today. He’s gone super. A different horse from what I have ever ridden today. All he wanted to do was relax. Good signs for the future. It opens up his options. He’s a very good horse now but he’s a superstar in the making being a 4yo. Who knows what is ahead for him,” jockey Sam Clipperton said of the third-placed Mazu.
For winning jockey Williams, The Everest result was made even sweeter after his close second in the inaugural running aboard Vega Magic back in 2017.
There is a chance the best The Everest performers could go around again in Melbourne on November 5 in Flemington’s Gr 1 $3 million Champions Sprint down the straight.