LAS Vegas, here we come!
Jockey Andrew Gibbons couldn’t have wished for a better going away present, winning yesterday’s The Big Dance eligible $150,000 Coffs Harbour Cup (1600m) on Attractable ($17), providing Wyong trainer Sara Ryan with an important breakthrough in her fledgling career.
Gibbons and his star apprentice son Dylan are taking a break from racing, and heading to Las Vegas on Tuesday for a week’s R & R.
“I’ve been to Vegas four times before, but this is Dylan’s first trip there,” Gibbons said en route to fulfillingriding commitments at Kembla Grange today.
“I promised Dylan I would take him once he turned 21, so we’re looking forward to it.”
Whilst Dylan Gibbons has captured the spotlight during the season just concluded by battling out the Sydney’s apprentices’ premiership with eventual winner Zac Lloyd, and tallying an overall 113 winners, including a maiden Group 1 on Explosive Jack in the Sydney Cup (3200m) at Royal Randwick in April, his father reckoned it was time to get some headlines of his own.
“Even better that Dylan (who finished last on $9.50 chance Acquitted) was in the race,” Gibbons Snr said.
“I’ve won a Ramornie Handicap at Grafton, a couple of Provincial Championship heats and a few country Cups, but the Coffs Harbour Cup is a race I have really wanted to win.
“This was the first time I had gone there feeling I had a really good chance, and it was terrific to win the race for Sara.
“I have had a few rides for her before, and have a good opinion of her as a trainer.
“Attractable went into the race on excellent Sydney form, winning two in a row before finishing fourth over 1800m at Randwick last month.
“He carried 60.5kg then and dropped 3.5kg, and I wasn’t worried at all about him coming back to 1600m.”
Attractable raced on the pace, and held off $3.70 favorite King Of The Castle to give Ryan her 14th winner – and first of the new season.
Gibbons rode 53 winners last season, and was pleased with his results.
“I didn’t do as much travelling as in previous season, but still rode a dozen winners more than the previous season and have been very happy with my riding.”
Attractable, a five-year-old son of I Am Invincible, took his record to seven wins from only 21 starts and boosted his prizemoney earnings to just over $431,000.
*Story John Curtis, August 5, 2023 - Pics Trackside Photography*
Comments