2023 All Aged Stakes Winner Giga Kick Beats Zaaki, Cascadian 3rd

[Wandering Eyes]

Three-year-old Giga Kick was huge late in Saturday’s All Aged Stakes 2023 results defeating two old eight-year-old marvels home with ease in the final Group 1 of the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival.

Three-year-old Giga Kick was too good for his older rivals saluting for the punters in the 2023 All Aged Stakes. Photo: Steve Hart.

The Scissor Kick gelding posted his maiden elite level win saluting for the punters by one-and-a-half lengths off a lovely ride by Craig Williams in this year’s Group 1 $1.5 million All Aged Stakes (1400m).

The victory was Giga Kick’s first since his upset at the Randwick track last October in the $15 million The Everest (1200m).

He came into the weight-for-age All Aged Stakes off two good lead-up runs, the latest seeing him finish runner-up to I Wish I Win in the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) a fortnight earlier.

Despite some concerns over how the young star would handle his first 1400m assignment Giga Kick jumped the $2.90 favourite in All Aged Stakes betting.

He didn’t disappoint.

“It was great, he’s a high-class horse and I was very confident during the week,” winning trainer Douglas told Sky Thoroughbred Central.

“He was just going so well and he’s presented so good.

“It took a very good horse today that was going to beat him.

“He went through the line didn’t he, so I think the 1400m was no drama.”

After levelling up and going stride for stride with the returning dual Mackinnon Stakes champ Zaaki, Giga Kick hit another gear inside the final furlong charging to the lead and racing right through the line in impressive fashion to become the first three-year-old All Aged Stakes winner since Trapeze Artist in 2018.

“So brave in defeat. He is an old marvel with so much upside. He keeps turning up,” the second placed hoop James McDonald said of the Annable Neasham-trained Zaaki.

Also running out of his skin for third to was last year’s winner, the James Cummings-trained Cascadian brave again completing the trifecta off a stellar lead-up in Melbourne having run second in the $5 million The All-Star Mile and winning Flemington’s Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m).

“He was outstanding,” third placed rider Nash Rawiller said of Cascadian.

“Just missed the bob for second but was working home better than any horse. He went enormous.”

Williams was having his first ride on Giga Kick in the All Aged Stakes and was full of post-victory praise for the still progressing $8.7 million earner.

“He paraded better today than he did first-up this preparation,” Williams said.

“The exciting part about it is that he’s got so much more to come. We see horses that get developed really well, perfect example two weeks ago Mr Brightside.

“This horse is a three-year-old having nine starts, already won a Group 1.

“He just did it so easy on a day like today, first run at 1400m. Third-up, he’s a serious horse.”

Although he won the world’s richest turf race with Giga Kick in the spring, Douglas was particularly pleased to have picked up his maiden Group 1 in the All Aged.

“I’m not a very emotional person but for some reason I’m getting a bit emotional about this one, it means a lot (to win a Group 1),” he said.

“It’s everything we strive to do and it’s phenomenal.”

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