Emerging jockey Dylan Gibbons has won group 1s before – Explosive Jack in the Sydney Cup and Kalpour in the Tancred Stakes – but he has never had a connection with group 1 contender like the one he has with Semana heading in to the Winx Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.
Like with many young jockeys, Gibbons’ group 1 wins were the result of being in the right place at the right time as an apprentice, but with the Ciaron Maher-trained Semana it has been an 18-month journey from benchmark grade to racing’s pinnacle.
Dylan Gibbons wins a benchmark 78 on Semana last year, which was the start of the pathway to a shot at group 1 glory.Credit: Getty
The connection has spanned his time as an apprentice to now riding as a senior jockey.
“I have built an association with her from the early days when I won a benchmark 78 on her,” Gibbons said.
“She then won the Magic Millions Cup at the beginning of the year, and we have had the three group 1 placings together. It would be good to win one on her because she is a group 1 horse knocking the door.
“It would be nice to get one to repay Ciaron and the team for their loyalty to me.”
Gibbons has two wins on Semana in nine rides with four placings. He was in the saddle when Semana went down in a photo finish to the Coolmore Classic in autumn before running third in the Queen Of The Turf and second in the Tatts’ Tiara only eight weeks ago.
She has the quickest turnaround for any runner in the Winx Stakes, and Maher sees that as an advantage.
“For Semana, this is her best trip and she brings a bit of residual fitness into the Winx Stakes from the Queensland campaign,” Maher said. “It is a very tough field but her form measures up.
“Dylan has been part of her story and knows her very well. He has had a good relationship with us.
Dylan Gibbons stands high in the irons after winning the Sydney Cup on Explosive Jack.Credit: Getty
“He is based up in Newcastle, and it’s where a lot of these horses are based for us. He can be there for trials and gallops some times, and it helps to have someone like Dylan there.
“I like using him because of his feedback, and with Semana it helps because he just knows her.”
Semana will take on some of the best horses in training, including favourite Fangirl, Riff Rocket and Zougotcha, which twice had her measure in the autumn. All are three-time group 1 winners, but their best trips are beyond the 1400m of Winx Stakes.
Given their group 1 records, it is unsurprising that defending Winx Stakes champion Fangirl is a $2.20 favourite in front of Via Sistina ($6.50), which is a group 1 winner in Europe and Australia over extended trips, and Riff Rocket and Zougotcha at $9.
Semana at $12 looks the value of the race, in particular as she takes on her rivals in her wheelhouse.
“Semana has a real turn of foot that I think is best at 1400m,” Gibbons said. “It would be nice to get a group 1 with her, particularly early in my career as a senior rider.
“It would be good to do it for the Maher team, the likes of [foreman] Joe [Gerard-Dubord] and all the guys behind the scenes; I want to win as much for them and all the hard work they put in that you don’t see.
“They are helping me look good when I go out on a horse like Semana.”
Gibbons is closing in on 400 winners for his career and still works closely with former boss Kris Lees, for whom he will ride Tancred Stakes winner Kalapour in the Premier’s Cup.
“It is always good to get back on him,” Gibbons said. “It is the start for him, and he will get better as he steps up in trip.”
He also has Infancy in the Toy Show Quality and Miss Busslinger in the Silver Shadow Stakes for his former boss.
Miss Busslinger’s only win came at Doomben as an early two-year-old, but she has form behind Linebacker and Broadsiding in the autumn and Gibbons believes her best will be at a mile and beyond.
“Miss Busslinger is going to get better as she gets out over further, and I’m looking forward to later in the Princess Series with her,” he said. “I think she will give a bold showing on the weekend at 1200m, but I can’t wait until we get her to the mile in the Flight Stakes.”
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