A month after riding his first four-timer at Randwick, leading apprentice Dylan Gibbons has done it again.
The 21-year-old came into Saturday’s meeting with a strong book of rides but more importantly, he capitalised on them.
After opening his account aboard Chase My Crown in the Highway Handicap (1400m), Gibbons added wins with Diamond Diesel in the Midway Handicap (1200m) and Battleton in the Gipps St Social Handicap (1400m) before claiming the feature Winter Stakes (1400m) on Ucalledit for his master Kris Lees.
“Everything is working out today,” Gibbons said.
“Obviously you need the book of rides to do that. Thanks to my boss and the bigger boss at home.
“Things are going great.”
Along with his quartet of winners, Gibbons also outrode his 1-1/2 kilo claim when notching the 80th metropolitan victory of his career on Battleton.
He now sits on 69 city wins this season, four clear of close friend and arch-rival Zac Lloyd, who had a mixed day at the office.
Lloyd got a win on the board courtesy of Insurrection in the Ray Selkrig Handicap (1100m) after battling for much of the straight with Gibbons’ mount and eventual runner-up Brudnell.
But he had a near-miss two races later when he had to bail out of the saddle aboard Conscript.
The horse was agitated in the starting stalls, stamping and turning his head, the movement causing Lloyd’s foot to slip out of the stirrup just as the starter opened the gates.
Fortunately, Lloyd was able to jump to the side quickly and safely and was unscathed, although the riderless Conscript caused havoc as he bolted and weaved his way through the field.
Stewards later deemed the horse was denied a fair start and he was ruled a non-runner with the race won by the John O’Shea-trained Wewillrock.
With six metropolitan meetings still remaining, Sydney’s champion apprentice crown is still firmly up for grabs, although Gibbons and Lloyd will put that to the side next week when they instead do battle over a round of golf.
“Me and him will go and play golf next week and we won’t really think about racing. We’ll just have fun on the golf course,” Gibbons said.
