Local trainer Chris Gibbs was left with a large smile on his face at the conclusion of racing at Ruakaka on Saturday after securing a winning double with promising gallopers Diamond Girl and Cakebytheocean.
Lightly raced five-year-old mare Diamond Girl hadn’t been seen since running a brave fifth at Ellerslie over 1600m back in March and went into her rating 74 assignment without the benefit of a trial beforehand.
Settled back in the field by rider Tegan Newman, Diamond Girl defied a front-running bias on the day as she finished over the top of her rivals in the closing 200m to win by a neat length in a slick 1.03.17 for the 1100m journey on a surface rated as a Soft 6.
In contrast four-year-old son of Ocean Park, Cakebytheocean overcame a wide barrier (13) to sit outside the speed throughout his 1600m contest before running away from his opposition in the home straight to win easing down by over five lengths.
Gibbs was thrilled to pick up the winning brace and now has plans to see both runners tackle their respective finals on ITM/GIB Winter Championship Series Finals day at Ruakaka on July 16.
“Diamond Girl just loves it at home and she ran a very slick time today on what was a genuine Soft 6 track,” Gibbs said.
“It was a beautiful ride by Tegan as she let her do her own thing early on before swooping around them on the home bend.
“I think what made the run even more impressive was that she was the only horse who won from the back all day.
“Thankfully there was plenty of pace early on in the race, but she still had to be good to do what she did.
“I have the final of the progressive grade series at home here next month as her target so she can have another start over 1200m in three weeks then into the final a fortnight after that.”
Raced by co-breeder Maurice Scown, Diamond Girl has now won three of her 14 starts with all of them coming at Ruakaka.
In contrast Cakebytheocean was making it two wins from four starts for Gibbs after doing his early racing from the Roger James and Robert Wellwood stable at Cambridge.
“He was a bit fierce in the early running so Michael (McNab) did the right thing and let him stride forward to try to get him to relax outside the pace,” Gibbs said.
Photo credit: Trish Dunell
“He (Cakebytheocean) can be a bit of an ignorant bugger, but I think he is starting to get the hang of things now.
“Funnily enough he is not like that in his trackwork and he has really been sharp of late as his coat is glowing and he is thriving in the environment we have here.
“He’s another set for finals day up here on July 16 but it is a little tricker for him as there is no race for him here on July 2 and I don’t want to go five weeks without him having another run.
“We’ll have a look at the programme and try and work something out.”
Cakebytheocean is out of the Unbridled’s Song mare Songfest, the dam of outstanding galloper Better Than Ever who was crowned champion two-year-old, three-year-old and four-year-old galloper along with champion miler on two occasions in Singapore where he won sixteen of his 26 starts before returning to New Zealand where he closed out his career with a win in the Gr.2 Awapuni Gold Cup (2000m).
