Latest news with #ClaytonDouglas
The Australian
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Australian
Blue Hotel faces first Melbourne test in Quezette Stakes at Caulfield
Clayton Douglas is attacking Saturday's Quezette Stakes from a different angle to his fellow trainers. Douglas will test I Am Invincible filly Blue Hotel against more experienced opposition in the Caulfield Group 3 feature. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Blue Hotel won the Listed Dequettville Stakes in Adelaide on debut at her only two-year-old appearance in April but the Adelaide two-year-old form will be on trial in the $200,000 Quezette Stakes. Adelaide form stood up when Esha improved off a Murray Bridge maiden win to dominate her rivals at The Valley last Saturday. Douglas said the Quezette Stakes would provide a few answers to Blue Hotel's progress since emulating her dam Volcada by winning the Dequettville Stakes. • Brad Waters' Caulfield Saturday tips, race-by-race analysis 'It will be interesting to see how my filly goes in Melbourne grade,' Douglas said. 'Saturday is going to determine how she's going and where she sits in the pecking order. 'But she seems to have really come on since her win. 'She's a good filly and I think she'll be hard to beat on what I've seen of her so far.' Trainer Clayton Douglas will test unbeaten filly Blue Hotel in Melbourne grade in Saturday's Group 3 Quezette Stakes at Caulfield. Picture: Getty Images Winning or performing strongly against the likes of the unbeaten Scenic Point and Signature Scent would provide Douglas with the information he needed to determine the next couple of runs of Blue Hotel's preparation. Melbourne's spring program for three-year-old fillies' provided a plethora of opportunities, which could lead to the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes down the Flemington straight in November. • 'Did everything she was asked': Lightning champ returns at Caulfield 'It's really hard to say where she will end up,' Douglas said. 'I think she's going to be a sprinting filly but after Saturday, there's races like the Cap D'Antibes down the straight. 'There's also a race like the Coolmore or even the Poseidon or Danehill Stakes. 'A race like the Atlantic Jewel (Stakes) is an option as well.' Blue Hotel has drawn barrier eight in the Quezette Stakes, which is unlikely to hinder the filly's tactics of racing off the pace under jockey Mark Zahra. 'There will be good speed on and she can get off the speed and be hitting the line hard first-up and that will give us an idea of where to go after that,' Douglas said. Read related topics: Adelaide
News.com.au
5 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Clayton Douglas-trained Blue Hotel faces first Melbourne test in Quezette Stakes at Caulfield
Clayton Douglas is attacking Saturday's Quezette Stakes from a different angle to his fellow trainers. Douglas will test I Am Invincible filly Blue Hotel against more experienced opposition in the Caulfield Group 3 feature. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Blue Hotel won the Listed Dequettville Stakes in Adelaide on debut at her only two-year-old appearance in April but the Adelaide two-year-old form will be on trial in the $200,000 Quezette Stakes. Adelaide form stood up when Esha improved off a Murray Bridge maiden win to dominate her rivals at The Valley last Saturday. Douglas said the Quezette Stakes would provide a few answers to Blue Hotel's progress since emulating her dam Volcada by winning the Dequettville Stakes. • 'It will be interesting to see how my filly goes in Melbourne grade,' Douglas said. 'Saturday is going to determine how she's going and where she sits in the pecking order. 'But she seems to have really come on since her win. 'She's a good filly and I think she'll be hard to beat on what I've seen of her so far.' Winning or performing strongly against the likes of the unbeaten Scenic Point and Signature Scent would provide Douglas with the information he needed to determine the next couple of runs of Blue Hotel's preparation. Melbourne's spring program for three-year-old fillies' provided a plethora of opportunities, which could lead to the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes down the Flemington straight in November. 'It's really hard to say where she will end up,' Douglas said. 'I think she's going to be a sprinting filly but after Saturday, there's races like the Cap D'Antibes down the straight. 'There's also a race like the Coolmore or even the Poseidon or Danehill Stakes. 'A race like the Atlantic Jewel (Stakes) is an option as well.' Blue Hotel has drawn barrier eight in the Quezette Stakes, which is unlikely to hinder the filly's tactics of racing off the pace under jockey Mark Zahra. 'There will be good speed on and she can get off the speed and be hitting the line hard first-up and that will give us an idea of where to go after that,' Douglas said.
News.com.au
06-06-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Giga Kick trainer Clayton Douglas queries Joliestar ‘best horse' tag in Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup
Clayton Douglas has heard it … but he won't cop it. 'I know everyone keeps saying Joliestar is the best horse in the race, but I don't know how they work that out?' Douglas queried. 'I think it's fairly evident that Giga Kick is, he's won an Everest. What he has done is amazing. 'Yeah, Joliestar is a good mare. But I think Giga Kick should be held at least in the same regard as her. 'I would be thinking she would have to run past us to beat us, although we will wait and see. 'Tactics will be a big thing on Saturday.' • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! So sets the tone for a thrilling clash between the two betting fancies in Saturday's Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup which was rescheduled from a washed out Eagle Farm card seven days earlier. Bookies have pencilled it in as pretty much a clash in two. Joliestar, who counts this year's Newmarket Handicap among her two Group 1 wins and $3.9m in prizemoney, is the $2.30 favourite. Giga Kick, also boasting two Group 1 wins but also an epic triumph in the 2022 The Everest as well as $12.8m in prizemoney in the bank, is the second pick at $4. • Giga Kick does have the points against Joliestar from last year's Everest, with Giga Kick finishing runner-up and Joliestar seventh although admittedly racing without much luck. Both have had to cool their jets for an extra seven days after last Saturday's postponement. Giga Kick has not raced for a month since resuming when he was a victim of circumstances, finishing third in the Group 1 Goodwood in Adelaide when he was the $2.10 favourite. Douglas isn't fazed by the Kingsford Smith Cup racing seven days late and said Giga Kick had an important track gallop at Doomben on Wednesday. 'There were horses galloping on the course proper at Eagle Farm on Tuesday but I thought it was better waiting an extra day to gallop at Doomben when things had dried out a bit more,' Douglas said. 'I was able to get a really good gallop into him as well, he worked terrific. 'I don't think the increased gap between runs is any problem for him at all. 'This looks a really good race for him.' Win or lose on Saturday at Eagle Farm, it is likely Giga Kick will be on his way to the spelling paddock next week rather than the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap. With Giga Kick weighted with 58.5kg in the Stradbroke and now having to back-up to compete in Queensland's most prestigious race, a Stradbroke mission may not be probable. But the Giga Kick camp paid up at the latest round of Stradbroke acceptances this week and Douglas says he has left the window slightly ajar. 'If he was absolutely no chance for the Stradbroke, we wouldn't have accepted in the latest round of acceptances,' Douglas said. 'We probably just accepted just in case something interesting happened. 'But we will just wait and see. 'We are leaving our options open until after Saturday.'
News.com.au
30-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
No Frankie, no worries for Giga Kick in Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup mission
No Frankie, no worries. Giga Kick and his trusty sidekick, Frankie the pint-sized pony, have been the Batman and Robin of the Australian racing scene. Little Frankie was originally purchased about a decade ago by Giga Kick's owner Jonathan Munz for his sons Albert and Alex. Frankie and Giga Kick are rarely seen without each other and in recent years Frankie has been the star racehorse's constant travelling companion. But Frankie hasn't made the trip to Brisbane for his great mate's Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m) mission. 'Giga Kick flew up this time, so Frankie didn't make the trip,' Giga Kick's trainer Clayton Douglas said. 'It's the first time he has been away without Frankie. 'Hopefully it's not a jinx, we will see on Saturday.' While there is no Frankie to keep Giga Kick company, there is a growing sense of confidence from the Giga Kick camp that the elite sprinter could be getting back to some of his three-year-old form which saw him become an Everest champion in 2022. The multiple Group 1 -winner may have been beaten first-up when the conditions of the Group 1 Goodwood in Adelaide should have suited him. But little went to plan and although he didn't win – and hasn't won for two years – Douglas was happy with what he saw when Giga Kick surged late for third behind Reserve Bank. The 3YO colt has now won three races in a row ðŸ'' @MickPriceRacing @jamieleekah07 — (@Racing) May 10, 2025 * Callow to miss Derby after jockey altercation Newmarket Handicap champion Joliestar is the $3 favourite for the Kingsford Smith but Douglas points out Giga Kick ($5) beat her home in The Everest last year. 'Joliestar is going to start favourite and rightly so, but if Giga Kick had even luck and won the other day in Adelaide, what price would he be?' Douglas said. 'The last time we met Joliestar, we beat her in The Everest. 'It seems like we could get a bit of rain on Saturday and I'm not concerned about that, I think it will be suitable for him. 'Giga Kick's last preparation was a bit of a wait and see prep with him and it was good that he was able to perform in The Everest (finishing runner-up to Bella Nipotina) the way he did. 'The horse is now in even better condition and his body is moving great. 'Whether we are going to see the three-year-old sort of form from him that we once saw, I hope so, but it is hard to say. 'One thing I do know is he's going to be more than competitive on Saturday.' All runners in the Kingsford Smith Cup, as well as the Group 1 Queensland Derby, were trotted up in front of vets on Friday and cleared to start.
News.com.au
27-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Clayton Douglas has Giga Kick primed for breakthrough win in Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup
'They will know he is in the race.' So says Giga Kick's trainer Clayton Douglas as the multiple Group 1 winner and 2022 The Everest champion aims up to try to snap a winning drought stretching back more than two years. • Racenet iQ members get full access to our Pro Tips service, where Greg Polson and our team of professional punters provide daily tips with fully transparent return on investment statistics. SUBSCRIBE NOW and start punting like a pro! A lot of water has gone under the bridge since Giga Kick's last triumph, his win in the Doomben 10,000 of 2023. He was sidelined for more than a year with injury, returning last spring and finishing runner-up in The Everest he had won two years earlier. Giga Kick had his first run in 2025 when starting the $2.10 favourite in The Goodwood in Adelaide, only to finish third after getting too far back and then being speared off the track. Giga Kick has never raced at Eagle Farm, the venue for Saturday's Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup where he is one of the key fancies. But, after giving him a spin around a foggy Eagle Farm on Tuesday morning, Douglas said: 'I think the big track at Eagle Farm is really going to suit him. Giga Kick, the dual Group 1-winner and 2022 The Everest champ, gallops at Eagle Farm this morning ahead of Saturday’s $1m Kingsford Smith Cup. 🎥: @bendorries76 — Racenet (@RacenetTweets) May 26, 2025 'They will know he is in the race. 'He has tightened right up and with a three-week gap between runs, he has been able to get some nice pieces of work in. 'He seems to be absolutely thriving up here in Queensland and I am really happy with him.' While Douglas was disappointed with the result in Adelaide, he was far from disappointed with Giga Kick's run. And he believes that now stepping up from 1200m to 1300m will be right in his stable star's sweet spot. Trainer Clayton Douglas talks up Giga Kick's prospects in the Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup at Eagle Farm on Saturday. 🎥 via @bendorries76 STORY: @c_douglasracing @Racing_QLD — Racenet (@RacenetTweets) May 27, 2025 'In the run in transit in The Goodwood, he ended up too far back in the race and then there was a bit of a scrimmage in front of him and he was speared off the track,' Douglas said. 'He rattled to the line. 'Off that run, it looks like the 1300(m) of the Kingsford Smith will be ideal for him. 'He worked good at Eagle Farm this morning and I'm rapt with how he is going.' Giga Kick will carry 59kg on Saturday as he faces off against the likes of Newmarket Handicap champion Joliestar, resuming Group 1 winner Private Eye and local hero Rothfire. He has drawn barrier 10 of 14 in the Kingsford Smith Cup field and will be ridden by Mark Zahra. When Stradbroke Handicap weights were released on Monday, Giga Kick was whacked with 58.5kg topweight in Queensland's most prestigious race. It means he is unlikely to race in the Stradbroke, although Douglas didn't completely rule it out. 'I would think he would be unlikely to run in the Stradbroke with 58.5(kg),' Douglas said. 'But it will be a nice problem to have if we burst clear Saturday and win easily and he pulls up well. 'If that happens, we would have a think about it. 'But he's probably really badly in the weights in the Stradbroke, albeit he deserves it, he's won a few Group 1s and an Everest. 'He will carry 59(kg) on Saturday but the issue with the big weight in the Stradbroke is that it's relative to what every other horse is going to carry in that race.'
