'He's the new kid on the block' - Giga Kick upsets Nature Strip in A$15m Everest

Australia's champion sprinter Nature Strip could finish only fourth in Saturday's A$15 million Everest as 20-1 shot Giga Kick took one of the world's most valuable races on just his fourth start.

The Chris Waller-trained Nature Strip was sent off at odds-on at Royal Randwick, having won easily on his only start since returning to Australia from his successful visit to Royal Ascot, where he was an explosive winner of the King's Stand Stakes.

He travelled powerfully from a wide position into Saturday's race and while James McDonald was on the bridle approaching the final furlong, his effort faded in the final few yards as Giga Kick finished best of those who closed in.

Clayton Douglas, aged 27, became the first Victorian trainer to conquer the Everest while nine-time Melbourne champion jockey Craig Williams won Australia's richest race for the first time.

Douglas said of the three-year-old: "I had a lot of confidence in this horse. He's a really good horse, he's a superstar.

"He's such a professional and you can see today, with the 53kg when ridden like that, he's electric. It's a bit of a whirlwind, but he wasn't in the race to make the numbers up and I had a lot of faith in him.

"Watch out, the new kid is on the block."

Giga Kick settled third-last under Williams as Eduardo led away from the inside rail at a fast pace, with Nature Strip settling at his girth.

Private Eye was first to overhaul Nature Strip approaching the line but Giga Kick had the last say, winning by half a length, with Mazu claiming third from Nature Strip on the line.

Williams said: "He [Douglas] planned to give him a gap between his first [Vain Stakes] and his next run into the Danehill at Flemington.

"He told me to come down and jump on him and Clayton said 'Craig, this horse has absolutely improved four lengths, come down and trial him, actually we might not be 12 months behind schedule [for the Everest] at all'.

"Then what he did the other day in the Danehill. [It was about] trusting Clayton as the horseman that he is, with a horse that he's got."

McDonald made no excuses for Nature Strip in defeat, which was his first since the Challenge Stakes at Randwick in March.

"I'm very proud of him, he ran really well. Obviously [he was] just off the course a bit and got taken wider on the bend. That was race done," McDonald said.

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