Giga Kick has completed the final stages of his preparation for a return to Group 1 racing with a low-key jump-out at Balnarring ahead of next week’s assignment in Adelaide.

The Everest winner is set to resume in The Goodwood (1200m) at Morphettville on May 10, where he will carry 54.5kg under the set-weights and penalties format.

“My jockey will have to watch his weight,” trainer Clayton Douglas told RSN. “The 54-½ is a great weight. Being a set-weights and penalties race and albeit he has been performing very well, but he hasn’t won since he was a three-year-old.”

Douglas said Giga Kick’s interrupted four-year-old season due to injury means he’s well in at the weights for his return.

“It’s very exciting to have him back and it’s not long until his first-up assignment.”

In Wednesday’s 1000m jump-out, Giga Kick cruised to second place under Mark Zahra without being pushed. It was his third hit-out this prep, following a third at Mornington and a win over Austmarr at Balnarring on April 16.

He also galloped at Sandown last week and returned to Balnarring for a light piece of work.

“He had a little bowl around at Balnarring this morning,” Douglas said. “He wasn’t out to do too much. He had a fairly hard trial behind Austmarr a fortnight ago and we’ve been able to get some nice work into him at home.”

“He had a good stretch of the legs, and I was really happy with how he came through it and how he’s trialled, and he seems on track for next week.”

Giga Kick’s most recent win came in the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 last May. He was injured in the McEwen Stakes at Moonee Valley in September and returned later that spring, placing second in The Everest.

Douglas said the gelding is back to his best.

“I think he’s as good as he’s ever been and he’s going to take beating,” he said.