Mark Zahra snapped up to ride Giga Kick in The Everest
A new rider has been secured for Giga Kick in The Everest after James McDonald jumped off for a rival horse in the $20m race.
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Superstar Victorian jockey Mark Zahra is the new rider for Giga Kick in the 2024 The Everest.
With James McDonald choosing to ride rival contender Joliestar in the $20m race on Saturday week, Giga Kick’s connections have settled on Zahra who has been in red-hot form over the last few years.
Zahra will now try to add The Everest trophy to a bulging trophy cabinet which includes consecutive Melbourne Cup wins on Without A Fight (2024) and Gold Trip (2023).
Jonathan Munz owns Giga Kick and Zahra has previously soared to Group 1 glory in the Munz colours, riding Super Seth to a last-gasp, incredible victory over Alligator Blood in the 2019 Caulfield Guineas.
It means champion Victorian rider Zahra will be riding in The Everest in Sydney rather than on Caulfield Cup day in Melbourne.
Zahra won last year’s Caulfield Cup aboard Without A Fight.
Clayton Douglas-trained Giga Kick, the 2022 The Everest champion, is an $11 chance in the 2024 The Everest.
He has returned from a long injury stint on the sidelines with a fifth placing in the Group 3 Concorde Stakes and finished fourth last Saturday behind surprise winner Airman in the Premiere Stakes.
Connections are convinced he will give The Everest a mighty shake.
Originally published as Mark Zahra snapped up to ride Giga Kick in The Everest
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