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By Greg Prichard

Leading jockey Dylan Gibbons says potential knockout horse French Endeavour is “ready for her grand final” in the $750,000 Darley Flight Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.

Dylan Gibbons (Pic: Bradley Photos)

The Newcastle-based apprentice will enter the meeting in good form, having ridden two winners for his master Kris Lees at Wyong on Thursday.

Gibbons says the plan all along from French Endeavour’s trainer at Warwick Farm, Matt Smith, was to build up through the campaign to a distance that best suited the horse and that is the 1600 metres of this Group One event for three-year-old fillies.

“She’s been screaming out for this race,” Gibbons said.

“The further she’s gone the better she’s looked, so you’d have to think the mile suits and she has got a good gate (barrier three) this time as well, so there are plenty of ticks.

“Matt did the smart thing and dropped her back to provincial grade two starts back with the aim of getting an easy kill and she won easily.

"Then at her last start she got too far back to win but I thought it was a massive effort to run on the way she did for fourth.”

That latest run was in the Tea Rose Stakes, the third event of the four-race Princess series, over 1400 metres at Randwick. French Endeavour motored home from 11th on the home turn.

The provincial win was in a Fillies and Mares Class 1 race over 1300 metres at Hawkesbury and it came after her ninth when first-up from a spell in the opening race of the Princess series, the 1200-metre Silver Shadow Stakes over 1200 metres at Randwick.

“Her run in the Silver Shadow was good as well,” Gibbons said.

“They went too quick and late in the race as they were stopping she was getting on to the back of them and not finding any room.

“I’m excited about the 1600 with her. I think she’s a definite chance in this race. Matt and I have been talking since the start of this prep and looking forward to the 1400 and 1600-metre races.

“Matt’s placed her very well the whole way through and now it’s grand final day and she’s ready for it. Hopefully we can get the job done.”

French Endeavour is a $12 chance with TAB Fixed Odds. The $2.70 favourite, Tiz Invincible, has to contend with the outside barrier in the 12-horse field.

Gibbons also has rides in the two other Group Ones races at Randwick - the $1.5 million TAB Epsom Handicap over 1600 metres (Communist, for trainer Michael Freedman) and the $750,000 The Metropolitan over 2400 metres (Bois D’Argent, for Annabel Neasham).

“Communist has won at Group One level over the 1600 at Randwick,” Gibbons said.

“His two runs this time in have been a bit below his best, but the way he trialled the other day suggests he might be able to bounce back.

French Endeavour's run in the Tea Rose Stakes

“He has a nice draw (barrier six), so we’ll aim to get him a smother somewhere and put him in with a chance in the straight.

“Bois D’Argent has been running well in the lead-ups. He got back a bit at his last start and didn’t really get anything ahead of him to take him into the race, but he’s got a nice, light weight compared to the weights he’s carried recently.

"First ride on him for me and I’m looking forward to it.”

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