Thornton-based apprentice Dylan Gibbons was relieved to break through for his first winner in his seventh race ride on Saturday.
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The 18-year-old drove the Paul Smith-trained $4.20 favourite Ocean Ruler to a 4.47-length victory in the Bonville Cup (1500 metres) at Coffs Harbour.
The son of leading Hunter jockey and NSW champion Andrew Gibbons, Dylan had impressed in his opening six rides without winning and he was relieved to get off the mark.
"It was unreal, it was like a big sigh of relief," Gibbons said. "I think I've had four favourites in seven rides, for two thirds, a fourth and two fifths.
"I haven't let any extra pressure get to me but I'm competitive, and especially when you're on favourites, you want that win a little bit more, so it's good to finally have it."
Ocean Ruler settled midfield before Gibbons tracked another runner on the home turn. From there, it was a one-horse affair.
"It worked out perfectly," Gibbons said.
"I thought I might have been further forward, or even leading, but when I came out there were four inside all wanting to rush forward, so I made my mind up quickly to go back. I ended up third line with cover and from there it all worked my way."
Gibbons is indentured to top Newcastle horseman Kris Lees, but he has already ridden for six trainers.
"It's really good because my first race ride was for Kris but in seven rides that's been the only one for my boss, so it's a good feeling to know you don't need your boss to really carry you along. I'm very lucky," he said.
Gary Harley reports: Wyong trainer Mark Cross and his wife, Alison, paid $3000 for Amiens and on Saturday at Newcastle, the four-year-old gelding repaid them five times over when successful in the 900-metre maiden handicap.
First prize was $16,740, with the promise of more to come after the son of boom sire Deep Field won at just his fifth race start.
At his second run for Cross, the $7 chance, with apprentice Qin Yong aboard, won narrowly from $1.65 favourite Single Tonite.
Wyong trainers had a day out at Newcastle with former top jockey Stephen Schofield winning the 1300m fillies and mares benchmark 64 handicap with Mosht Up, and the Kim Waugh-trained Holy Reign turning in a last-to-first performance to claim the colts and geldings version.
Amiens was advertised for sale on the Inglis website and was quickly snapped up by the Cross family.
"This horse didn't race as a two-year-old and he was beaten a nose on debut at Canberra last August when trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott," Mark said on Saturday night.
"They gave him two more runs in September and October and he wasn't far away. Amiens had a couple of trials at Randwick in February and then they put him on the market. When we bought him I put him in the paddock for six weeks and I swim him a lot in the Wyong club's pool.
"I have nominated Amiens for the Newcastle meeting next Thursday and he has been pig rooting since we came home and he ate well so I will probably run him."
Cross has only a couple in work at a time and admits he he self-taught. He has been training for six years and won seven races with his best horse, Stradance.
Cross specialises in counter-terrorism and owns bomb detection dogs he travelled the world with before COVID-19. He went to New York to assist after the 2001 terrorist attack.
The Peter and Paul Snowden training partnership saddled up four of the 12 runners in the 1200m maiden handicap and the team were rewarded with the quinella.
Snitzel colt Rule Of Law ($2.25) was the heavily backed favourite and after a moderate start, Andrew Gibbons drove him through the pack to lead.
The three-year-old kicked away in the straight and raced away with a winning lead. The performance of runner-up Exoboom, a $26 chance, was superb. Near last on the turn, he unwound a powerful finish to get within a length of the winner.
The only Newcastle-trained galloper to win was Paul Perry's Ellie's Encore in the 900m open handicap. Ridden by leading Hunter Valley apprentice Mikayla Weir, the well backed Ellie's Encore came from the rear of the field to win narrowly.
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