INFORMANT: NEW START FOR GIBBS WITH ROSEHILL GUINEAS CONTENDER

Fri, 23 Mar 2018 NZ Racing Desk

←Endowment will put his Australian Derby hopes to the test in the Rosehill Guineas

Chris Gibbs will be flying solo in Australia this weekend when Endowment opens his Sydney campaign in the Gr. 1 Rosehill Guineas.

After a successful partnership with Donna Logan, who is now training in Singapore, the Ruakaka horseman is officially operating in his own right.

“Donna relinquished her New Zealand licence and it’s just taken time to all go through,” Gibbs said.

Endowment has settled in well to his new surroundings and a bold run in the Guineas will confirm a tilt at the A$2 million Gr. 1 Australian Derby in a fortnight’s time.

“I’m very happy with him. He’s been eating and drinking well, so there’s no excuses on those scores,” Gibbs said.

“He’s very bright and we’ll see if he’s good enough. I’d rather have had a better draw than 19, but we have to cop that I guess.”

The lightly raced son of Savabeel booked his trip across the Tasman with a solid run for fifth from another wide gate in the Gr. 1 New Zealand Derby, off the back of an unplaced run in the Gr. 2 Avondale Guineas.

“It was an exceptionally good run in the Derby after he copped a sticky track in the Guineas,” Gibbs said.

“It looks like it will be slow at best at Rosehill, so he would prefer a shower on the day and on a loose track I think he’ll be okay.”

Gibbs said they had no firm pre-race plan for Endowment, who will be ridden by Damien Oliver.

“It depends how the horse jumps and then we’ll see if Damien can work his magic.”

for more information please goto Informant website