Latest News

By Ray Hickson

Jockey Dylan Gibbons is taking plenty of confidence out of trainer Brad Widdup’s decision to avoid the easy option with unbeaten colt Young Mister Grace at Randwick on Saturday.

Dylan Gibbons (Pic: Bradley Photos).

The three-year-old has shown Gibbons a stack of promise with easy wins on his home track at Hawkesbury in the past month and he says he’s not out of place in the Listed $200,000 Kia Ora Brian Crowley Stakes (1200m).

“I was also booked for him in the Midway and they didn’t accept so I’d say his work at home and from everything Brad’s seen he’s happy and didn’t give himself the option,’’ Gibbons said.

“He moves like a nice horse, it’s obviously a big step up in grade but on what he’s done I think he’s a horse that can handle a step up.”

Gibbons, who turned 24 on Wednesday, said Widdup has guided Young Mister Grace perfectly to give him a grounding for his first stakes test.

While the margin was less than a length in his second victory, on October 9, Gibbons said it was a win he would learn a great deal from.

“He was very well placed for his first start, Brad found a nice easy race and he was able to be a dominant winner,’’ he said.

“He sat off the leader and won as he liked.

“Drawn one the other day I wanted to lead up on him and try and make a good thing of him. He got a bit lost in front without much to follow and then having to spear to the middle of the track.

“Both wins have had good merit and he’s learned two different things.”

While on the surface it’s a little tricky to line up the colt’s provincial form against the stakes performances of many of his rivals, Gibbons said if the market is right and Miss Freelove is a true favourite he feels he’s right in the game.

Young Mister Grace was $4.80 with TAB and second favourite on Thursday.

That’s because he rode the runner-up, and favourite, in the race Miss Freelove won at Warwick Farm a few weeks ago.

“I rode Whatalegacy when Miss Freelove won, I’ve got this one just a touch ahead of him and I don’t think Whatalegacy was at his best that day,’’ he said.

“Once he gets up in grade and the class gets better he’ll get better again.”

Gibbons is happy to back co-trainer John O’Shea’s view that More Territories can be effective at 1400m in the Group 2 $2 million The Invitation.

He’s been on board in both runs this time in, and said her second-up eye-catching third in the Nivision, after resuming at 1400m in the Tibbie, was much more dynamic.

From the outside barrier he’ll be relying on getting the right run and saving her up to sprint for as long as possible.

“I’m just hoping for some speed. She went enormous last start with good speed on over 1200m,’’ he said.

Young Mister Grace wins at Hawkesbury on October 6

“There’s not much we can do about it, it’s whether the race is set up for her to run on or not. It was good to see her run so well last start.

“She’ll be out the back and you know she’ll be running home in some slick sectionals.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s meeting at Randwick