Lees rewards Gibbons with rare Group 1 ride
IT doesn’t matter how good a jockey is, if they don’t have a strong stable’s support, they will struggle to ride a winner.
Andrew Gibbons will have a rare Group 1 ride when he pilots El Dorado Dreaming in the Doncaster Mile at Randwick tomorrow and, if it wasn’t for leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees, he would likely be trying to find a winner at the country meeting at Taree instead.
The 40-year-old averaged about 55 wins a season until Lees single-handedly changed that this season.
“If it wasn’t for him, I’d be poking away winning 40 or 50 races but I’ve already won more than 100 in seven months this season,” said Gibbons, who has even trekked north to Brisbane this year to ride Lees’ horses.
“I’ve had half a dozen Group 1 rides but never one this big.
“To win one for Kris would be even better because he’s been so good for me.
“I’ve ridden more than 300 winners for Kris in the past seven years and he’s been fantastic for my career.”
Lees didn’t hesitate to put Gibbons on El Dorado Dreaming and has faith in his ability to give the filly a good run despite coming out of a wide gate.
“The pressure won’t worry Andrew. El Dorado Dreaming will go back from that gate and she’ll have one run at them,” Lees said.
“I like his dedication. He does his homework and applies himself and he’s a great example of what hard work can do.
“It would add something for me too if he was to ride a Group 1 winner for me.’’
El Dorado Dreaming hasn’t won since saluting at $81 in the Group 1 Sires Produce Stakes at the corresponding Randwick meeting last year.
She has been racing at the highest level and has run a series of placings in Group events, including runner-up last start in the Coolmore Classic at Rosehill.
“She’s aimed up terrific this time in but that was against her own sex, so she’s got to step up to race with the big boys on Saturday,” Gibbons said.
“She does get the 49kg, which means she’s a genuine lightweight chance.
Gibbons will also ride in the $500,000 Country Championships Final (1400m) on a horse he knows well.
He and Lucciola Belle caused an upset in Port Macquarie’s Country Championships Qualifier race when she upstaged Awesome Pluck to win.