CAREER MILESTONES FOR NOVOCASTRIANS

THEY’RE both Novocastrians – one very much at heart and the other a newcomer who is definitely loving his new digs!

Each achieved a special career milestone at Royal Randwick yesterday; Newcastle-born Dylan Gibbons posting his 400th winner and then 401st, and Orange recruit William Stanley clinching his maiden Saturday winner in town.

Gibbons scored on Bjorn Baker pair Hollywood Hero ($5.50 in the Benchmark 94 Handicap, 1600m) and Miss Kim Kar ($4.20 in the Benchmark 78 Handicap, 1400m), whilst Stanley was successful on the John Thompson trained Flying Embers ($3.40 favorite in the Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap, 1400m).

It’s been a tough season for Gibbons, who began the racing year as a senior jockey and had to undergo a left shoulder reconstruction which sidelined him for five months, but he has come back with fierce determination and prepared to work hard.

“The shoulder’s fine,” Gibbons said today. “The only time I think about it is when someone asks me.”

The young jockey, who served his apprenticeship with leading trainer Kris Lees, has moved to Sydney to further his career, but says he is very much a Novocastrian at heart and makes a point of getting home from time to time to visit family.

“I lost a bit of form early in the season, but the move to Sydney was inevitable and I’m doing the work to get back on track,” he said.

“I ride trackwork at the three metropolitan tracks, and also get to Bong Bong whenever I can to ride work for Ciaron Maher at his base there.

“Fortunately, I was able to keep my weight down during my time off, and can ride comfortably at 53kg and even a bit lighter if I have to.”

Dual Group 1 winning rider Gibbons says he is firmly focused on Sydney racing during the winter, but would entertain going to Brisbane for the carnival if the right opportunity arose.

His winning rides on Hollywood Hero and Miss Kim Kar showed he has lost none of his skill.

He skirted the inside rail on the former to bring up his 400th winner, then charted a much wider course down the outside on Miss Kim Kar to secure the same result.

“That’s five winners in town since coming back, and I’m feeling good and riding with confidence,” Gibbons said.

“I had six bookings yesterday but two were scratched, and my four rides were all single figure odds, so I went to the track looking forward to a good day.”

Stanley, who switched camp from Orange to Newcastle in the latter part of last year on the recommendation of former top jockey Corey Brown, says his Saturday breakthrough has given him the impetus to keep his weight in check in an endeavour to obtain more opportunities in town.

Stanley’s riding weight has been around 55kg, but he made a concerted effort to get down to 54kg yesterday to maintain what has developed into a successful association with both Flying Embers and her trainer.

His first Sydney winner was also for John Thompson, on $19 chance Opal Fields at a midweek Warwick Farm fixture in February.

“That was a heat of the Rising Star Series for apprentices, and my manager Ryan Roberts contacted John and said he had a new kid and was keen to give him a crack,” Stanley explained.

“That was my first ride for John, and he has been a really good supporter.

“I have ridden Flying Embers at all four starts this preparation, and won three (the others were at Hawkesbury and Kembla Grange) on her and was narrowly beaten in the other at Canterbury.

“The filly did a good job yesterday. She wasn’t the best away and we were forced to race wide, but she is very tough.

“Whilst she won, I don’t think she was all that comfortable on the heavy track, and John mentioned before the race that she worked better on top of the ground.”

Stanley was able to claim 2.5kg of his 3kg city entitlement on Flying Embers, and says he will attempt to stabilize his weight at 54.5kg initially and then get to 54kg.

“I’ve already got some bookings for Rosehill Gardens next Saturday, so hopefully yesterday will be the start of more Saturday winners in town.”

. HOOFNOTE: Stanley’s “stablemate”, fellow apprentice Ben Osmond, also joined the winner’s circle at Randwick yesterday.

Osmond landed the Benchmark 88 Handicap (2000m) on Ciaron Maher’s $41 outsider Glory Daze – in which the Lees-trained Zaphod ($3.30 favorite) let down his supporters with a lacklustre seventh – to keep his name in the frame for Sydney apprentice premiership honours this season.

Story John Curtis, May 25, 2025 - Pics Bradley Photos