Baby Isla melts trainer Clayton Douglas’s heart ahead of Giga Kick’s 2024 The Everest bid

No matter what the social media narks say about his The Everest hope Giga Kick, trainer Clayton Douglas is guaranteed to have a smile on his face at the end of even the toughest day.

Clayton Douglas has a precious sidekick in his bid to win The Everest for a second time – his beautiful baby daughter Isla.

No matter what the social media narks say about his star horse Giga Kick, the trainer is guaranteed to have a smile on his face at the end of even the toughest day.

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“Having Isla certainly puts life into perspective,” Douglas told Racenet.

“You see social media and some people want to have a dig at Giga Kick about not winning or not performing, and sometimes I start thinking about it.

“But then I come home to Isla and she’s just got a big smile on her face.

“She knows I’m Dad – and that’s all that matters to her.”

Trainer Clayton Douglas with his baby daughter Isla. Picture: Supplied by Lydia Rigg-Floyd.

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Isla, four-and-a-half months old, is the apple of her father’s eye and there is no prouder mother than Douglas’s partner Lydia Rigg-Floyd.

Douglas, who won the 2022 The Everest with Giga Kick, may train in Victoria but he has been staying in Sydney with his young family in recent weeks where he has been overseeing Giga Kick’s The Everest preparation.

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Isla has spent plenty of time at the stables and has even “ridden” Giga Kick’s trusted travelling companion, Frankie the pony.

“Isla has had a sit on little Frankie and she also comes to see Giga Kick,” Douglas said.

“Isla can’t really talk, but if she could she would probably be questioning what I am doing as a trainer.

Trainer Clayton Douglas and his partner Lydia Rigg-Floyd. Picture: Supplied

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“It’s been good to have personal time to spend with her in Sydney, as if I was down in Melbourne I would probably be going to the races all the time.

“She is starting to roll around and touch things and has started laughing.

“The Everest is an important race to me and to be able to experience it with a young family this time around, it is definitely different to when I was on my own.

“Life for me in general has definitely changed a lot.

“Isla is a bit too little to come to Everest day at Randwick, but her Nan is looking after her on Saturday so she will stay home and watch it on TV.”

Baby Isla Douglas with her Mum, Lydia Rigg-Floyd, and pony Frankie (Giga Kick's sidekick/companion). Picture: Supplied

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After a long injury lay-off, Giga Kick has warmed up with two races before his bid to become only the second horse after Redzel to win The Everest twice.

He finished fifth in the Group 3 Concorde Stakes and fourth in the Group 2 Premiere Stakes.

Giga Kick was ridden by champion Sydney hoop James McDonald both times but now “J-Mac” has instead opted to ride Chris Waller’s galloper Joliestar in the $20m The Everest.

Melbourne Cup winner Mark Zahra takes the Giga Kick steer and has words of confidence ringing in his ears.

Trainer Clayton Douglas with his baby daughter Isla and partner Lydia Rigg-Floyd, with 2022 The Everest champion Giga Kick. Picture: Supplied

“I think I have got Giga Kick in as good an order as I have had him for a very long time,” a bullish Douglas said.

“So if that is good enough, we will be right in it.

“He is very close to his best and I am very happy with him.”

On Friday, Giga Kick was rated a $14 chance to bounce back to his exhilarating best and claim the 2024 The Everest.

Originally published as Baby Isla melts trainer Clayton Douglas’s heart ahead of Giga Kick’s 2024 The Everest bid