Star apprentice Dylan Gibbons pulled a rabbit out of his hat to propel Ruby Flyer to an unlikely success in the Racing And Sports Handicap (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday.
That was trainer Brad Widdup after his talented galloper Ruby Flyer snatched victory from the jaws of defeat at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Widdup had just watched apprentice Dylan Gibbons pull a rabbit out of his hat to propel Ruby Flyer to an unlikely success in the Racing And Sports Handicap (1600m).
Gibbons was stuck in a pocket with seemingly nowhere to go for much of the famous Randwick straight but was able to get clear inside the final 150m.
Ruby Flyer grew wings late to salute.
• ‘He was just about finished’: Beer’s cheers for Mnementh’s revival
“At the 100m I thought, ‘what has happened her?’, and then when it finished I was a bit gobsmacked actually,” Widdup said.
“It was a huge win and I thought I was no hope with 100m to go so it’s obviously a good surprise.”
Ruby Flyer ($4.40) rocketed past the Darren McLeod-trained Danish Fortune ($61) late to get up by 1-1/2 lengths with John Sargent’s Palmetto ($16) in third.
Widdup was the lucky recipient to train Ruby Flyer after the gelding was previous conditioned by Jason Attard & Lucy Keegan-Attard.
Trainer Brad Widdup was delighted with Ruby Flyer’s victory at Randwick on Saturday. Picture: Jeremy Ng / Getty Images
• ‘That was some performance’: Eliyass all class in Australian debut
The son of Flying Artie won a heat of the Provincial-Midway Championships in his first start for the stable with Saturday his second win in four starts for the new yard.
“We are very lucky to get a horse like this,” Widdup said.
“It’s unfortunate for the Attards but he obviously has a lot of ability and that’s a great win.
“We will think about where we see him next and how far we go through winter but it’s hard to tip them out when they are racing well.”
Second favourite Waterford ($4.60) made his run down the centre of the track but never looked likely.