Journalists Wandering Eyes Posted April 14, 2023 Journalists Share Posted April 14, 2023 Giga Kick is clear favourite to win the feature race at Royal Randwick this weekend and salute in his first turf triumph since The Everest in the 2023 All Aged Stakes. Reigning The Everest champ Giga Kick chases another Randwick victory on Saturday in the 2023 All Aged Stakes. Photo: Steve Hart. A quality final field of a dozen weight-for-age stars take to the track on Saturday for the final elite level of the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival, and this year’s Group 1 All Aged Stakes (1400m) is worth a bumper $1.5 million in total prize money. Tipped to take out the lucrative $870,000 winner’s cheque is the Clayton Douglas-trained Scissor Kick three-year-old Giga Kick out in barrier 11 for jockey Craig Williams. Williams comes back aboard the classy chestnut after Zac Purton rode the youngster for his close last start second behind I Wish I Win in the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) on a Heavy (9) track here a fortnight back. Williams rides Giga Kick for the sixth time on the weekend having been aboard for three of the horse’s previous wins including the $15 million The Everest (1200m) last October. Giga Kick is now the deserving favourite at $3.40 through Ladbrokes going up to 1400m, a trip that looks a non-issue for the fast finisher who is also proven on all going. In an open market five other runners are under double-figure All Aged Stakes odds including the $6.50 second elect Zaaki returning to racing from barrier six with James McDonald in the saddle. The Annabel Neasham-trained eight-year-old races for the first time since his successful title defence in the Group 1 VRC Champions Stakes (2000m) at Flemington last Melbourne Cup Carnival. The evergreen veteran is a genuine fresh horse with an imposing first-up record (9:4-2-1) and his strike-rate on rain-affected ground is also very good. At his last 1400m run he was dominant winning the Group 2 Tramway Stakes (1400m) on a Heavy (10) here last September by two lengths with J. Mac aboard. Zaaki rarely runs a bad race, is an out-and-out WFA champion and looked strong in a recent hit-out on April 3 ahead of his much-awaited return. The early All Aged Stakes market mover now into $7 is the Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Mazu who presents fit third-up from barrier nine with Sam Clipperton in the saddle. The consistent Maurcie four-year-old hasn’t won a race since the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 (1200m) in the wet at Eagle Farm in May last year. He has been competitive in plenty since however including his third to Giga Kick in The Everest trifecta in the spring. This time in he has run 2.15 lengths back fifth fresh at Flemington in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) before an eye-catching TJ Smith third that looks an ideal lead-up into this 1400m assignment. Following closely at $7.50 joining Giga Kick as the three-year-olds taking on the older horses is the Mick Price & Michael Kent Junior-trained Jacquinot. Chad Schofield has the ride on the underrated chance from barrier four with Jacquinot looking a big chance fit fourth-up and ready to fire. The son of Rubick won back-to-back races at Sandown Hillside earlier this prep including his protest victory over Gentleman Roy in the Group 1 CF Orr Stakes (1400m) before a last start sixth in the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m). He is back in Sydney now having won the Group 1 Golden Rose over the 1400m at Rosehill in the spring before crossing only 1.55 lengths back fifth in The Everest. Dropping in weight and distance he looks a big chance at a nice price. Rounding out the hopes under $10 for the win at $9.50 each are then the Joe Pride-trained Private Eye and Godolphin’s last start Australian Cup champ Cascadian who won this event last autumn drawn barriers three and 10 respectively. The All Aged Stakes is set to run as Race 8 at 3:50pm (AEST) on Saturday’s big 10-race Randwick card in Sydney. 2023 All Aged Stakes Field & Barriers No Last 10 Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight Probable Weight Penalty Hcp Rating 1 213x13341x ZAAKI (GB) Annabel Neasham James McDonald 6 59kg 117 2 1x10x317x6 LOST AND RUNNING (NZ) John O’Shea Tom Marquand 12 59kg 115 3 82x1217x40 PRIVATE EYE Joseph Pride Brenton Avdulla 3 59kg 115 4 341154×521 CASCADIAN (GB) James Cummings Nash Rawiller 10 59kg 114 5 11x5232x53 MAZU Peter & Paul Snowden Sam Clipperton 9 59kg 113 6 x3200x3410 BANDERSNATCH Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes Jason Collett 8 59kg 107 7 0x20x00x03 HO O AMAZON (JPN) Yoshito Yahagi Ryusei Sakai 7 59kg 107 8 0032x0000x KOLDING (NZ) Chris Waller Kerrin McEvoy 5 59kg 105 9 0x4221x003 ROCH ’N’ HORSE (NZ) Michael Moroney Tim Clark 1 57kg 113 10 x82524x130 ELECTRIC GIRL Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes Zac Lloyd (a) 2 57kg 107 11 6x1159x116 JACQUINOT Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) Chad Schofield 4 56.5kg 112 12 1x11115x32 GIGA KICK Clayton Douglas Craig Williams 11 56.5kg 111 Table Credit: Racing Australia. The post All Aged Stakes 2023 Field & Odds Update: Giga Kick Favourite appeared first on HorseRacing.com.au. View the full article Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.