Apprentice Dylan Gibbons had never ridden in a 3200m race before Saturday’s Sydney Cup, and at the 200m mark he realised he was not only going further than he ever had but that Explosive Jack was going to carry him to his first group 1 win.
The two-time Derby winner Explosive Jack couldn’t have been ridden better or with more patience. Then Gibbons looked up halfway down the Randwick straight and saw that he had $151 outsider True Marvel and defending champion Knights Order covered.
Dylan Gibbons stands high in the irons after winning the Sydney Cup on Explosive Jack.Credit: Getty
“For 3000 metres I did my job, but the last 200m I just enjoyed it because I knew he was going to win,” Gibbons said. “It was amazing.”
Gibbons had gone close recently when Montefilia was an unlucky second in the Tancred Stakes.
“I had to learn the hard way,” he said. “It couldn’t have worked out better today. He just gave me a beautiful ride.”
Gibbons had been behind favourite Cleveland at the 1000m when that horse started to drop out. He was still travelling strongly and took advantage, letting Explosive Jack come into the race on the bridle.
Leader Knights Order had kicked in the straight, but Gibbons had saved enough energy for a final charge and Explosive Jack ($26) went away to win by three-quarters of a length from True Marvel ($151), with Knights Order ($16) a game third in its attempt to lead all the way for a second year.
“When I saw Cleveland not going that great I thought ‘either I’m going really good or he’s going really bad’,” Gibbons said. “Once I got him out the way I thought we were just going to whack away and run a gallant third of fourth, but as they stopped he didn’t, and I’m just fortunate to get these opportunities.
“It’s hard to put kids who can’t claim on in these sorts of races, and I’ve been able to get the job done for them.”
Co-trainer David Eustace had eyes for the stable’s Melbourne Cup winner Gold Trip and the third placegetter from Flemington, High Emocean, in the run and didn’t pick out the stablemate and eventual winner until late.
“Mid-race I was kicking and screaming because they were going so slow and it just wasn’t going to help any of our runners,” Eustace said. “I was watching the other two and then I saw him late down the outside. It is a fantastic result for a horse that was injured in the Melbourne Cup.
“We said months ago that this is the race to have him spot-on, and he was. It’s obviously a great thrill to get this horse back and a real credit to the whole team in managing him.”
The final part of the puzzle might have been Eustace’s training partner Ciaron Maher deciding to remove the blinkers that Explosive Jack had worn for a while.
Explosive Jack had been a bit one-paced when runner-up in the Canberra Cup behind Tancred Stakes winner Arapaho, and when he was well beaten in the Tancred.
“The boss was pretty keen to take them off. His run in the Canberra Cup was very, very good without them,” Eustace said.
“He always wore them as a colt, but he’s a gelding now and he’s not fast but he stays.
“But he showed a pretty good turn of foot there. He looked fantastic beforehand. We thought they’d go a little bit quicker in the run.”
But it was a day to remember for Gibbons.
“This is one I’ve always dreamed about as a kid, and I’ve had great support the whole time getting me here from my family,” Gibbons, the son of Newcastle jockey Andrew Gibbons, said. “You can’t explain it. I’ve always thougth about what I’d do in the moment, but it just takes over for you.
“Just the pure joy of knowing that not only is it a great moment for me, but for everyone who’s helped me get to this point. I’m sure they’re enjoying it as much as me.”
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