Hard-working Cheyne glad to win for Gibson
After most of Richard Gibson's 10 wins this season, he has stressed the hard work departing jockey Greg Cheyne has done for him in the mornings.
The kind words were well-received by the Singapore-bound hoop, but he had yet to gain the ultimate public acclaim and ride a winner for Gibson before yesterday.
Gibson was thrilled to leg the South African aboard Super Caga, who scored in a Class Four over 1,400m, but upset to soon be losing a 'key member' of his team.
'Greg is a very professional and diligent jockey and I've been very surprised he hasn't had more rides,' Gibson said. 'It's sad to see him go but we wish him all the best, I'm sure he'll do very well.'
Cheyne will take up a riding contract in Singapore when his current arrangement with the Hong Kong Jockey Club expires at the beginning of February.
After two seasons with 14 and 19 winners respectively, opportunities have dried up for the light weight with three winners from just over 107 rides. Yesterday he climbed aboard Super Caga, who had been backed at his first three runs for Gibson, before being unwanted by punters when a strong run-on second behind Gamekeepers last start at Happy Valley.
Blinkers were applied before that run and he was ridden near the tail, tactics enforced yesterday when the seven-year-old drew 14.
'We were actually pleased with the wide draw, because we wanted to sit and wait. It was not a big surprise to see him win today,' Gibson said. 'We all said in the paddock that we'd never seen him look better all year and he'd run very well last time out.'
Cheyne said the gear changes had helped the horse stay competitive in a race.
'The blinkers have made a difference to him, before you'd always be at him during a race to do something and now he is more willing,' he said.
Regardless of on track success, Cheyne said he was happy to get back to the hard graft of getting horses ready for the races with Gibson.
'I've really enjoyed working with Richard, when he got here he asked me to help him get his team going,' he said. 'The system in Hong Kong is different to what I'd experienced in South Africa, here you don't really do much groundwork with horses, but with Richard I've been able to get back to that and I'm glad I could ride a winner for him.'
Unfortunately for Cheyne, he was given a two-meeting suspension for careless riding aboard Tres Magnifique, one of four careless riding charges and bans handed out on the day. Brett Prebble (Nicholson), Derek Leung Ka-chun (Even Email) and Keith Yeung Ming-lun (Dragon Fighter) were also suspended for two meetings each, joining the growing list of sidelined jockeys.
