Giga Kick Goes Four for Four in Danehill

Mark Smith - Saturday October 1

It was a close run affair; however, Giga Kick kept his record at a perfect four for four in the Group II HQ Tavern Danehill Stakes (1100m) at Flemington on Saturday.

Craig Willaims giving Giga Kick some encouragement (image Grant Courtney)

Ridden by Craig Williams for Clayton Douglas, the son of Scissor Kick clung to a slowly reducing nose victory over the Supido colt Buenos Noches with the Capitalist colt Cannonball a further one and a half lengths back in third.

Douglas said the unbeaten gelding was feeling the pinch in the last bit.  

“What a horse. He was probably feeling it late with six weeks between runs, but it was a great effort,” Douglas said.

“He’s just a completely different horse now. He’s done so well and I think he’s got nice improvement to come. He’s still big enough and still got plenty in the tank.

“We’ll just see how he pulls up, but I’m really happy with how he is, and it was good to get the job done today.

“He was probably asked to go early, and it was a good run, in a good solid-run race. I think they were only half a second outside the class record - so he’s a good horse.

“He’s only going to be better in the autumn, but we’ve got a serious horse for the spring anyway.”

Coming off a win in the Group III Vain Stakes at Caulfield on August 13, Giga Kick has banked $393,200 for his owner/breeder Jonathon Munz.

Giga Kick was bred by Munz's GSA Bloodstock, which also bred his sire Scissor Kick.

He is the sixth winner for the imported Royal Applause mare Rekindled Applause (GB), who arrived in Australia alongside his mother Rekindled Affair (Rainbow Quest).

Giga Kick - eye candy (image Grant Courtney)

Rekindled Affair (IRE) left two stakes-winners before her importation. Her first foal in Australia was hugely talented Rekindled Interest (Redoute's Choice), who won the Group II MVRC Dato' Tan Chin Nam Stakes and Group II AAMI Vase and was second in the ATC George Ryder Stakes and third in the MVRC WS Cox Plate.

Rekindled Applause (GB) was stakes-placed four times in Italy.

Her six winners include the stakes-placed Rekindled Power and Shuffle Up, and her daughter Lago Ovation (Encosta de Lago) is the dam of Yulong Stud's Group 1 MRC CF Orr Stakes winner Alabama Express.

Rekindled Applause (GB) has a yearling colt by Pariah.

Scissor Kick (Redoute's Choice) stood at Arrowfield Stud for four seasons. He shuttled to Haras d'Etreham in France and did not return to Australia after covering 29 mares in 2019.

Advertisment

Race Result - Hq Tavern Danehill Stakes Gr2 1100m

Flemington Track: Good(3) Time: 1:02.69
1
Giga Kick
- 3g Scissor Kick (AUS) x Rekindled Applause (GB) (Royal Applause (GB))
Tnr: Clayton Douglas Rdr: Craig Williams 58.5
2
0.1
Buenos Noches
- 3c Supido (AUS) x Koi (AUS) (Northern Meteor (AUS))
Tnr: Matthew Smith Rdr: C Newitt 58
Supido
3
1.6
Cannonball
- 3c Capitalist (AUS) x Golconda (AUS) (Snitzel (AUS))
Tnr: A & S Freedman Rdr: B Prebble 58
4
1.8
Doull
- 3c Snitzel (AUS) x Bulbula (AUS) (Shamardal (USA))
Tnr: A & S Freedman Rdr: Jamie Kah 57
5
3.5
Great Barrier Reef
- 3c I Am Invincible (AUS) x Cosmic Endeavour (AUS) (Northern Meteor (AUS))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: Damian Lane 57
6
3.7
Brereton
- 3c Zoustar (AUS) x Fuddle Dee Duddle (AUS) (Red Ransom (USA))
Tnr: P G Moody Rdr: L Nolen 58.5
7
3.9
Swiss Exile
- 3c Pariah (AUS) x Swiss Francs (NZ) (Swiss Ace (AUS))
Tnr: Annabel Neasham Rdr: Jye McNeil 58.5
8
4.0
General Barca
- 3c I Am Invincible (AUS) x Sweet Sister (AUS) (Snitzel (AUS))
Tnr: P Stokes Rdr: D Moor 57
9
7.5
Stupendo
- 3c Supido (AUS) x Bisutti (AUS) (Northern Meteor (AUS))
Tnr: D T O'Brien Rdr: D Oliver 57
10
9.8
Sunzou
- 3c Zoustar (AUS) x Sunday Rose (AUS) (Exceed And Excel (AUS))
Tnr: S P Nichols Rdr: Ethan Brown 57
11
11.0
Zou Sensation
- 3c Zoustar (AUS) x Dame Claire (NZ) (Danehill Dancer (IRE))
Tnr: L & T Corstens Rdr: Zac Spain 57
More Reading...
New French Stakes-Winner for Churchill
Currently finishing his seventh season of shuttling to Coolmore Australia, Churchill has had a productive year and sired his 16th stakes-winner of 2024 when progressive three year-old filly Some Skye landed the Listed Grand Prix de Fontainebleau (1900m) at Chantilly.
Giga Kick Wins The Everest
Three-year-old gelding Giga Kick scored a fast-finishing win in the $14,000,000 The TAB Everest (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday to keep his record at a perfect five for five.
Sires With Winners - Sunday November 24
Here is the full list of 72 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Do Deuce From Last to First in Japan Cup
The visitors were once again humbled by the locals in the 44th running of Sunday’s Group 1 Longines Japan Cup (2400m) at Tokyo Racecourse.
Winx Foals a Snitzel Colt
The owners of Winx have announced the champion mare has foaled a healthy colt by Snitzel early on Monday morning.
G1 Pedigree Watch - Plus Up and Comers
The spring carnival might be over, but the G1 action is now in Perth and a Queenslander took the top prize and we are also looking at a few other stakes-winners that hold the promise of more to come.
He's a Star - Giga Kick Captures Doomben 10000
A champion's qualities were on show at Doomben on Saturday when Giga Kick claimed his second Group 1 in the $1,500,000 Ladbrokes Doomben 10,000 (1200m).
Giga Kick Claims His Group 1
Third in the Group II Challenge Stakes and second in the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes, Giga Kick revisited the winner's circle for the first time since his Everest triumph when earning a Group 1 victory in Saturday's All-Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick.
One to Watch – Canberra
At the 2023 Magic Millions Yearling Sale on the Gold Coast US investors Richard and Tammy Rigney of Rigney Racing purchased two yearling fillies by I Am Invincible for $2million and $1.2million and got a result with one of them in Canberra on Sunday.
Expensive Xtravagant Wins $1million Meteorite
The highest priced yearling by Xtravagant sold in 2022, progressive sprinter Nadal (Xtravagant) produced an explosive turn of foot to come from near last to win the inaugural running of today’s $1m The Ladbrokes Meteorite at Cranbourne.