James McDonald to lock in ride for The Everest after Premiere Stakes

James McDonald will make up his mind on which horse he will ride in The Everest after he partners Giga Kick – who is “ready to explode” – in the Premiere Stakes on Saturday.

Joliestar is among The Everest options for jockey James McDonald. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

Champion jockey James McDonald will confirm his ride in the $20m The TAB Everest after he partners Giga Kick at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Giga Kick (2022) and Think About It (2023), the last two Everest winners, are among 18 entries for the Group 2 $1m Premiere Stakes (1200m) that also includes Bella Nipotina, Buenos Noches, Mazu, Chain Of Lightning and Bustling.

• Richard Callander: Should Linebacker have run in the Golden Rose?

McDonald has options for The Everest including the Chris Waller-trained Joliestar, who is already safely in the field for the world’s richest turf race on October 19.

But Giga Kick can go close to confirming his place in The Everest field – and give McDonald plenty to ponder – if he runs well in the Premiere.

“I think Giga Kick is ready to explode,’’ McDonald said.

“He will be very hard to beat even though this is going to be such a hot race.

“But he has taken great improvement from his first-up run and his mid-prep trial was fantastic the other day.’’

McDonald is eyeing his 100th Group 1 victory on Saturday. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

The Clayton Douglas-trained Giga Kick, who resumed racing after a year out with injury when fifth to I Am Me in the Concorde Stakes nearly a month ago, looked sharp winning a Canterbury barrier trial last week.

In early TAB fixed odds betting for the Premiere Stakes, Giga Kick and Bella Nipotina share favouritism at $3 ahead of Think About It at $5.

• Mitch Cohen’s Blackbook: Pride eyes second Epsom Handicap

McDonald is chasing his 100th career Group 1 win on Saturday and will ride Kovalica in the $1.5m Epsom Handicap (1600m) and unbeaten filly Autumn Glow in the $750,000 Flight Stakes (1600m) for the Waller stable.

Kovalica impressed last start when closing late for third in the Tramway Stakes and is at $9 for the Epsom behind only Royal Patronage ($5) and Ceolwulf at ($6).

Autumn Glow, a dominant winner of her three stars including the Group 2 Tea Rose Stakes, is $1.70 favourite to win the Flight Stakes.

But Sydney’s premier jockey doesn’t have a ride in his weight range for the Group 1 $750,000 The Metropolitan (2400m) where the Waller-trained Land Legend is the $6 favourite.

Originally published as James McDonald to lock in ride for The Everest after Premiere Stakes