‘No bad blood’: Gibbons happy to forgive and forget as he bounces back from fall

1 week ago 4

By Craig Kerry

September 4, 2025 — 5.00pm

A forgiving Dylan Gibbons has bounced back quickly from his first serious race fall and hopes the Bjorn Baker-trained War Eternal and two Kris Lees-trained stayers can do likewise for him on Saturday at Randwick.

Gibbons was fortunate to walk away with only a bruised arm from a frightening fall in the Up And Coming Stakes, which led to the death of his mount, the John O’Shea and Tom Charlton-trained Tyreek, at Rosehill last Saturday.

Dylan Gibbons after riding Unreachable to victory early on last Saturday’s program at Rosehill before a nasty fall.

Gibbons was back the following day to ride Strongside to victory for O’Shea and Charlton in the opener at Wyong, and later Whatalegacy for Baker.

“The best thing you can do when you ride horses all the time and you have a tumble, is to get straight back,” said Gibbons, whose previous falls were pre- or post-race.

Gibbons and Tyreek were shoved into the inside rail after a bumping duel on their outside between the James McDonald-ridden Providence and Tom Sherry’s Grand Prairie, which went for the same gap.

Sherry, who won the race but was suspended for a month for careless riding, has come in for heavy criticism on social media, but Gibbons was quick to forgive and said it was just an unfortunate incident.

Grand Prairie wins the Up And Coming Stakes for jockey Tom Sherry on Saturday before the jockey was suspended.

“It’s a tricky one,” he said. “We were racing tight from the outset, there was a bit of bumping going on, and it’s hard to be fully aware of your surroundings in those split-second moments.

“It was just one of those unfortunate things where something had to give, and sadly that was poor Tyreek and myself.

“Tom sent me a message and I’ve seen him in person. There’s no bad blood there. Obviously he’s copped it a fair bit on social media and everything, but he wouldn’t have even known I was there, so it’s unfortunate that he was ultimately the one who got blamed.

War Eternal (second from left) wins at Rosehill on August 16.

“If we are not racing as tight, you probably get away with that one. There were plenty of ways to look at it. If the bumping ended a bit sooner, Tyreek and I probably don’t cop what we cop, but it is what it is.”

Tyreek, which Gibbons rode to victory in his only other start, suffered a fractured scapular and was euthanised.

“When you work in the racing game, you learn to really love horses, and you never like seeing them get hurt, especially with what happened,” Gibbons said.

“It was tough for me, dealing with the news when I found out he passed because the last thing I remember seeing when I sat up was him cantering away. I felt for the stable and the connections.”

Gibbons will aim to ease the pain of the O’Shea-Charlton stable on Friday when he pilots Countyourblessings in the listed Mona Lisa Stakes. He was also down to ride Cleveland for Lees in the Wyong Cup, but the trainer said the eight-year-old was likely to resume on Saturday in the listed City Tattersalls Club Cup (2400m) at Randwick.

The import, carrying the colours of prominent owner Lloyd Williams, showed his class when winning the Moonee Valley Cup in 2023 but has struggled to recapture that form. Off one trial, he is $19 with Sportsbet.

“His trial was good the other day,” Gibbons said. “He beat the likes of Alalcance and Circle Of Fire in his trial. He was beaten nine lengths, but he’s a 2000m-plus horse, so they were his markers. I think that’s a good guide of where he’s at.”

Lees said of Cleveland: “He’s first up and he’s coming off a couple of runs in the autumn where he ran well. He doesn’t look right yet, but he’ll run well.”

Lees also has the Williams-owned Changingoftheguard ($3.70) in the race.

“He went good the other day [when second at Flemington] and he’s come on well,” he said.

“He’s our best chance on the day. We’re hoping to get to a Melbourne Cup. Which path we take, we’ll wait and see. He might go to the Metropolitan in four weeks.”

Gibbons and his former boss also combine with another Williams import, Adelaide River, in the group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m). Fourth last year in the race, Adelaide River is a $91 shot for Saturday.

Lees said to “disregard his first-up run” when eighth.

“He was back and wide on a wet track,” he said. “But because he’s had that run, he might find a mile a bit sharp because we got back from a wide gate, but it will be the making of his preparation.”

Gibbons’ best chance may be War Eternal ($21), which won a 1400m open handicap at Rosehill before finishing sixth in the group 1 Winx Stakes (1400m), again on heavy ground. He drops back to the group 2 Tramway Stakes (1400m) at Randwick, which was a soft 6 on Thursday.

“He did a good job well up in grade, taking on arguably the best horse in the country in Via Sistina,” Gibbons said.

“Hopefully a touch back in grade he can go win himself a nice race. He’s never won on good tracks, but he’s won on soft. It won’t dampen his chances too much.”