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Start your engines: 2024 The Everest contenders ready to roll in Group 1 Moir Stakes and Group 3 Concorde Stakes

Months of meticulous planning and hopeful ambition comes down to two races at Royal Randwick and The Valley that will take less than 60 seconds each to complete on Saturday.

Ray Thomas
6 min read
September 5, 2024 - 1:22PM
Hold All Tickets - Punters (Episode 2) 07-09-24

Months of meticulous planning and hopeful ambition comes down to two races that will take less than 60 seconds each to complete on Saturday.

It’s now or never for a number of elite sprinters trying to secure a slot in next month’s $20 million The TAB Everest.

At Royal Randwick, the Group 3 $1 million Concorde Stakes (1000m) has attracted a classy field featuring comeback sprinter Giga Kick, The Everest winner two years ago.

His rivals include the always reliable, seemingly perennial big-race contenders Bella Nipotina and Private Eye, the emerging potential of Aft Cabin and last year’s Concorde winner Remarque.

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• Clinton Payne’s tips, runner-by-runner analysis for the Group 1 Moir Stakes

At The Valley, The Everest favourite, I Wish I Win, one of only two sprinters already with a slot for the world’s richest turf race, resumes against the obvious brilliance of Estriella, the talented Caballus and a team of crack three-year-olds in Golden Slipper winner Lady Of Camelot and runner-up Coleman and Blue Diamond winner Hayasugi.

There’s so much at stake for these sprinters. The winners of the Concorde Stakes and Moir Stakes will almost certainly be selected for The Everest.

But those sprinters that fail to fire on Saturday will probably race themselves out of The Everest conversation.

Since The Everest was introduced in 2017, every Concorde Stakes winner bar one has earned an Everest start including Redzel, winner of both races in 2017 and again in 2018, and Nature Strip who completed the double in 2021.

The only Concorde winner who didn’t get into The Everest was Remarque last year and the Team Hawkes sprinter is back on Saturday trying to defend his title.

• Early Oil for The Valley: Gilbert Gardiner’s race-by-race tips and analysis

The Moir Stakes is being run a little earlier this spring but has also been a very good Everest guide with at least one sprinter coming out of The Valley race and contesting the rich Randwick sprint most years.

In 2021, Wild Ruler defeated The Inferno and Trekking in the Moir and all three placegetters got into The Everest.

So, Saturday feels a bit like “moving day” at a golf tournament when players take an aggressive approach to day three and try to put themselves into contention going into the final round.

There’s reason to be nervous for all owners, trainers and jockeys aligned to these top sprinters but Giga Kick’s trainer Clayton Douglas revealed that is “situation normal” for him.

• I Am Me not to be forgotten in all-star Concorde showdown

“I will be as nervous as a kitten on Saturday, I always am with this horse,” Douglas said.

“I’m not one of those who can’t watch the race but my superstition is to go off and watch it on my own.

“When Giga Kick has raced at Randwick, I’ve always watched him from near the hedge on the outside rail – it’s my quiet place.”

It’s been almost 12 months to the day since Giga Kick last raced, finishing third to Imperatriz in the McEwen Stakes and suffering the injury which has kept him sidelined ever since.

Giga Kick’s gluteal muscle injury is rare and Douglas admitted there were initial fears the brilliant sprinter may not recover sufficiently to race again.

“It has been a stressful 12 months,” Douglas said. “He had an odd injury, there was not a lot of information about it, so I had some sleepless nights worrying about him.

“But the last three to four months, it has been fairly smooth sailing. We have been able to get some nice gallops into him and he is the type of horse that thrives on his work.

“We have been able to build him up as we have wanted to, he has had a really good couple of months, and he is certainly forward enough to run very well on Saturday.”

Giga Kick has had three barrier trials in recent weeks to prepare for his Concorde comeback – an 800m jumpout on the Mornington course proper before two Randwick trials over 850m and then 900m.

The five-year-old gelding’s most recent trial when he ran down Linebacker to win the trial by three-quarters of a length was the race-eve confidence boost Douglas and jockey James McDonald needed.

“The trial last week was great as it gave him a solid hitout on a good surface. It will top him off nicely for the Concorde Stakes,” Douglas said.

“He was strong through the line, he really seemed to attack it, then James got off and gave him a glowing report.

“The horse has come on a lot since he arrived in Sydney. It was heavy ground for his first trial and he was always going to improve on a drier surface.

“He’s had a good grounding for his first-up run. He had been in work for a while and we were able to take our time with him. I’m looking forward to Saturday.”

• Gun colt Broadsiding turns heads in Rosehill trial

Giga Kick, winner of seven races (and three placings) from 11 attempts for earnings of more than $9.6 million, is the $2.70 TAB Fixed Odds favourite to make a winning comeback in the Concorde Stakes.

The chestnut gelding burst onto the scene when he won The Everest two years ago at just his fifth start.

In six races since, Giga Kick has won twice at Group 1 level in the All Aged Stakes and Doomben 10,000, was narrowly beaten by I Wish I Win in the TJ Smith Stakes, and had luckless runs in the remainder.

Douglas argues Giga Kick should nearly be unbeaten, pointing out the only horse to come from behind and beat his crack sprinter was I Wish I Win.

But even Douglas is a little unsure about what to expect from a “ring rusty” Giga Kick in the Concorde after such a long break from racing.

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“I don’t think I’ve been training long enough to have to deal with a horse that has been off the scene for 12 months,” the trainer said.

“They do say there might be a bit of ‘ring rust’ but he has the ability. He is a bit of a freak and it is going to take a good one to beat him, anyway.”

Giga Kick has been prominent in Everest betting since markets were first released nearly a year ago but he hasn’t been picked up by a slot-holder yet.

Douglas isn’t too concerned and believes Giga Kick will make a statement of his own in the Concorde Stakes.

“I know there has been plenty of interest in Giga Kick but nothing set in stone,” Douglas said.

“These things have a habit of taking care of themselves. I have a lot of faith in the horse and if he gets the right run in transit he will do the rest. I’m hoping the horse will do the talking.”

• Cameron Happ’s best bets for The Valley on Saturday

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

THE EVEREST CONTENDERS

GROUP 2 CONCORDE STAKES, RANDWICK
• Giga Kick – Crack sprinter on the comeback trail. He looked more like his old self in his Randwick barrier trial win last week and seems primed for his return to racing.
• Bella Nipotina – The “Iron Lady” of Australian racing who had 14 starts last season, all at the top level, never finished further back than fifth and won twice at Group 1 level. She can never be underestimated.
• Private Eye – The dual Everest placegetter has been Group 1-placed at 1000m and it is worth noting he has won at his first start of the new season in four successive years.
• Aft Cabin – The talented Godolphin sprinter has shown glimpses of outstanding ability. He has been gelded since last racing and his two recent barrier trial wins have been very impressive.
• Remarque – Under-rated sprinter who has been luckless at times during his career. He did win the Concorde last year, is a first-up specialist, and excels on this track.

GROUP 1 MOIR STAKES, THE VALLEY
• I Wish I Win – The ruling Everest favourite and arguably the best sprinter in training. The Valley 1000m course isn’t ideal but with clear galloping room he is capable of finishing over the top of his rivals.
• Estriella – Brilliant mare with abundant speed. She was very impressive reeling off three straight wins last autumn and resumes off a runaway Cranbourne trial win.
• Caballus – There is plenty of “noise” about this emerging four-year-old. This is his first test at Group 1 level but the expectation is he is up to this standard of sprinter.
• Lady Of Camelot – The Golden Slipper winner resumes off two recent Sydney trials including a comfortable defeat of Giga Kick. She has loads of tactical speed and can take full advantage of her favourable draw.
• Coleman – Classy colt who was runner-up in the Golden Slipper and a third placegetter in the ATC Sires to close out his two-year-old season. There were good signs from his recent Cranbourne barrier trial effort.
• Hayasugi – She kept finding ways to win last season culminating with her fast finishing effort to claim the Blue Diamond. Gifted filly who will be charging home with her lightweight.

Originally published as Start your engines: 2024 The Everest contenders ready to roll in Group 1 Moir Stakes and Group 3 Concorde Stakes

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Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/horse-racing/nsw-racing/start-your-engines-2024-the-everest-contenders-ready-to-roll-in-group-1-moir-stakes-and-group-3-concorde-stakes/news-story/b1ddb519845242180f2bd7e8a471c711