Unbeaten three-year-old Giga Kick has fast-tracked his way to racing stardom with a stunning win in the $15 million Everest at Randwick.
One of the last horses picked to contest the world's richest thoroughbred race on turf, Giga Kick produced an explosive finish to reel in his older rivals to give young trainer Clayton Douglas a dream result.
Having only his fifth start and coming from the second half of the field under jockey Craig Williams, Giga Kick denied wonder sprinter Nature Strip a second Everest win.
It was a triumph thought improbable a few weeks ago, but Williams revealed his confidence grew between Giga Kick winning at Caulfield in August and at Flemington earlier this month.
"I said to Clayton, 'I think he might have to buy an (Everest) slot but he's 12 months away'," Williams said.
"But after I rode him one day before he won the Danehill Stakes I said we might not be 12 months away after all."
Williams was right and Douglas, a former jumps jockey, took up the challenge when slot holder James Harron came calling to offer Giga Kick an Everest berth.
"He wasn't in the race to make up the numbers and I had a lot of faith in him," Douglas said.
"He's a star. Watch out, he's the new kid on the block."
Giga Kick started one of outsiders at $21 and he scored by a long neck over Private Eye ($12)
Nature Strip was bidding for back-to-back Everest wins.
He was forced to sit deep from a wide barrier but when given his cue at the 300m, the chestnut responded to establish a break on his chasers.
It was short-lived for the shortest-priced favourite in Everest history and his reputation as the best sprinter on the planet counted for little when it mattered most.
Private Eye was momentarily hailed the winner he when claimed Nature Strip only for Giga Kick to swoop late.
Mazu ($18) snatched the minor placing away from Nature Strip, another half-length away.
Trainer Chris Waller said Nature Strip did not disgrace himself in defeat.
"It didn't quite work out the way we wanted it to but at the 50 metres he still looked the winner," Waller said.
The Everest was robbed of one of its leading contenders when Lost And Running was scratched on race morning.
