A slick race day exhibition gallop by Our Kobison has jockey Dylan Gibbons excited about his prospects as he prepares to take on some big-name sprinters in the Group Two The Shorts at Randwick.
Gibbons partnered the Angela Davies-trained gelding in a solo workout between races at Rosehill last Saturday and said if the horse brought that form to Saturday’s 1100m contest, he would be competitive against a field headlined by Private Eye, Golden Slipper winner Lady Of Camelot and Concorde Stakes winner I Am Me.
“He felt terrific. He was in a great mindset, his manners were great, he relaxed beautifully and just lobbed along,” Gibbons said.
“If I sent him a message and asked him to break another track record, he felt like he would have.
“He’s got a bit of a step up now, but off his work and the way Ang has got him going, he’s seems to be in great order.
“He looks a million bucks, feels a million bucks, he seems to be ticking all the boxes so now, let’s see how he goes race day.”
The five-year-old has built an outstanding record winning six of his 11 starts and placing in another four, including his most recent when runner-up to an explosive Joliestar in the Show County Quality (1200m).
Gibbons will be having his first race day ride on Our Kobison, who has drawn barrier five.
Davies prepares her small string from Gosford and says the track renovations there have made it tough to get him race day ready, prompting last weekend’s excursion.
“We haven’t got a track at Gosford (due to renovation), so it’s been difficult to train him for these Group races,” Davies said.
“I elected to come down to Rosehill, it’s an hour and fifteen (minutes) both ways so he’s had a nice day out.
“He’s ready for The Shorts. You have got to aim high in this game.”
One of the key Everest lead-ups, The Shorts has attracted a typically robust field with Stradbroke Handicap winner Stefi Magnetica to resume in the race, while Mumbai Muse is poised to back-up from her outstanding second to Sunshine In Paris in the Sheraco Stakes (1200m) last weekend.
Two horses, Classique Legend (2020) and Redzel (2017), have claimed The Shorts-Everest double.
