CUP HOPE ZAPHOD CALLS FOR GIBBONS IN TOWN

IT’S been quite a few moons, but Andrew Gibbons knows his last city winner.

Nearly six years to be precise, and it was Redoute’s Image at Canterbury on July 22, 2020 in a 2YO Maiden Plate (1100m) on a heavy track.

“I couldn’t forget that,” Newcastle’s senior jockey said today.

“It was my 400^th winner for Kris Lees, and also my first in town for him.

“Redoute’s Image was resuming from a break, and I had ridden her in a Wyong trial leading up to that midweek race.

“She had been placed three times, including a second in the Max Lees Classic (900m) at Newcastle on debut, and it was good to get a breakthrough on her for Kris and Australian Bloodstock.”

That city success was even more memorable as it helped carry Gibbons to the title of the State’s leading jockey with 124 wins that season; one and a half wins ahead of Blaike McDougall.

He rides irregularly in town, concentrating on provincial and country meetings, and normally would be taking bookings at his home track’s 10-race program on Saturday, but will be an absentee.

Reason being that he will again don the Australian Bloodstock colours to partner their gelding Zaphod in the Listed McKell Cup (2000m) at Rosehill Gardens the same day.

And he is looking forward to continuing a brief association with the import which has recently produced two Listed metropolitan placings; second in the Gosford Gold Cup (2100m) on May 9, and third in the Lord Mayors Cup (2000m) at Rosehill three weeks later.

“I had ridden Zaphod in trackwork and trials, but never in a race until the Gosford Cup,” Gibbons said.

“His two runs for me have been crackers.

“Even though they weren’t wins, I feel he has never raced better.

“I didn’t bother taking any rides at Newcastle, even in earlier races (the first at Broadmeadow is at 10.45am and the McKell Cup is the eighth at Rosehill at 3.15pm).

“As Zaphod is going so well, I was keen to stick with him.”

Zaphod goes into the McKell Cup as the winner of five Australian races since joining Lees’ stable; the latest in the Mayors Vase (2050m) at the Gold Coast in January.

His six career wins have been evenly spread across good, soft and heavy tracks.

Zaphod made a successful Australian debut, romping home in a Class 1 Plate (1700m) at Scone on a ‘Heavy 10’ in July, 2024.

He has raced only twice at Rosehill, and been placed on both occasions.

Whilst Gibbons goes to Sydney for the one ride, son Dylan is heading in the other direction, chasing the last major of the 2025-26 season.

He also will don the Australian Bloodstock colours on Infancy for Lees in the $700,000 Group 1 Tattersall’s Tiara (1400m) at Eagle Farm.

Gibbons is no stranger to the mare, having won the Listed Fireball Stakes (1100m) on her at Royal Randwick in March 2024 at double figure odds, whilst still apprenticed to Lees.

. Today’s Wyong meeting was postponed following further rainfall since the 7.30am scratching deadline, leaving surface water on numerous sections of the track.

Friday’s scheduled barrier trial session at Newcastle has been abandoned.

STORY JOHN CURTIS, JUNE 25,2026