BUOYED by a home track double on Saturday, Newcastle jockey Andrew Gibbons hit the road afterwards hoping to win a second South Grafton Cup on Sunday.
But his hopes were dashed when Wyong trainer Kim Waugh decided not run his mount Camaguey, who drew awkwardly in the $80,000 feature, which carries eligibility for the $3m The Big Dance (1600m) at Royal Randwick in early November.
It’s 17 years since Gibbons won the 1600m South Grafton Cup on $15 chance De Rigueur, who was trained at Gosford by the late Fred Cowell.
“That was my first feature winner at the Grafton carnival,” Gibbons recalled as he left Newcastle to drive to Coffs Harbour before heading on to Grafton in the morning.
“De Rigueur was a good old horse. I rode him in his first placing (at Kembla Grange in early 2005) and later in his career when he was placed at Rosehill Gardens on a heavy track.”
De Rigueur drew barrier 14 in a capacity South Grafton Cup field in 2007, and defeated Sir Winalot and Jenks.
Gibbons, who scored on Codetta ($8) and Lutetia ($3.40 joint favorite) in successive races at Newcastle, still has a number of rides at Sunday’s South Grafton Cup meeting and will return home afterwards.
He has rides at another Newcastle meeting on Tuesday, then will head north again for the Jacaranda City’s two big racedays on Wednesday and Thursday.
Gibbons will partner Enterprise Pomme for Lutetia’s trainer Kris Lees in Wednesday’s $200,000 Listed Ramornie Handicap (1200m), and is hoping to also pick up a mount in Thursday’s $200,000 Listed Grafton Cup (2350m).
Following his South Grafton Cup victory on De Rigueur, he won the Ramornie four years later on Jerezana ($8.50) for Sydney trainer Peter Snowden.
Gibbons’ Newcastle double came only two days after also clinching a Muswellbrook double on Bertie for Camaguey’s trainer Kim Waugh, and Miss Cartel for Gosford’s Angela Davies.
Waugh had intended to start Camaguey at Randwick on Saturday, but the gelding was an emergency for the Benchmark 88 Handicap (1800m) and there weren’t sufficient scratchings for him to make the field.
Camaguey on Saturday evening was one of eight withdrawals from the South Grafton Cup, reducing the field to 13.
Gosford trainer Adam Dugan’s form sprinter Diamond Diesel ($3.80) was pressing Estadio Mestalla ($3.70) for favoritism with TAB.com.au.
Diamond Diesel overpowered Estadio Mestalla in the Listed Civic Handicap (1400m) at Warwick Farm on June 25 to post his third win from his last four starts, but now meets the runner-up on 3kg worse terms.
Diamond Diesel’s jockey Andrew Adkins tuned up for his South Grafton Cup assignment by winning the closing race at Newcastle on Ambassadors ($12) for local trainer Nathan Doyle.
Story John Curtis, July 13, 2024 - Pics Bradley Photos
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