Gary Harley
Former Newcastle apprentice Dylan Gibbons returned to the track where his career kicked off when he landed a double at the Destination Port Stephens Race Day at Newcastle Racecourse on Thursday. Gibbons was aboard the former Irish 5-year-old Appeared in the opening event the 1880 metre Jockeys Celebration Day Class 1 and Maiden Plate.
The gelding had won his last start at The Curragh in October last year before being purchased by Darby Racing and joining the Bjorn Baker stable. It was Appeared’s first Australian start after two barrier trials at Randwick in July and he was well backed from $6.50 into $4.40. Gibbons settled the import in fourth place and when he pressed the button at the top of the straight Appeared gradually wore the leaders down to win by .59 of a length. The jockey predicted a bright future for the gelding in his new country, and he will appreciate a longer trip.
Later in the day Gibbons steered the John Thompson trained I’m Relevant to victory in the 1400 metre 4WD Tours R Us Class 1 Handicap. The 3-year-old is raced by former champion and Newcastle-Hunter Hall Of Famer Neville Begg OAM. Gibbons’ rode I’m Relevant when the gelding won a Wyong 2 YO Maiden on July 23 and the jockey produced a gun ride on Thursday. After travelling in third place on the rail, I’m Relevant was held up behind the leader with nowhere to go until 200 metres from home when the gap opened up on the rail, Gibbons drove the son of Written By through to win by half a head. Gibbons has ridden 506 winners.
Muswellbrook trained Amajicstar landed a decent plunge in winning the 900 metre NSW Jockeys Association Super Maiden Plate despite a recent easy Beaumont track trial win. The unraced 3-year-old filly was $12 when TAB framed the fixed odds market on Tuesday. The filly was backed into $3.10 and after a fast start apprentice Liberty Smyth let her run and she bolted in by 2.65 lengths. The winner is trained by John Bannister, and it was former Queenslander Smyths 29th winner. She is apprenticed to Nathan Doyle, and she rode her first winner in January this year.
Paul Perrys Puerto Banus was the longest priced winner of the meeting. The 5-year-old drifted to $61 in the 1200 metre Destination Port Stephens Cup Benchmark 64 Handicap and Andrew Adkins in the saddle. The gelding sported blinkers for the first time. After settling worse than midfield on the rail Adkins put him into the clear halfway down the straight and Puerto Banus overpowered the leaders. The shortest priced favourite on Thursday was David Payne Gold Globe ($1.35) in the 1600 metre Port Stephens 4WD Tours Midway Maiden Handicap. Kirren McEvoy was in the saddle, and he lifted the favourite over the line to win by a nose.
The Maxim Business Advisors Race Day supporting HMRI is the next meeting at Newcastle on August 22.