Oh, Mama: Gibbons out to clinch hat-trick on up-and-coming stayer

Jockey Dylan Gibbons would like to think Wednesday’s Precise Air Handicap (2400m) at Warwick Farm today won’t be as high as lightly raced stayer Mama Joy can climb in her career.

The four-year-old has won three of her seven starts and Gibbons is in line for a hat-trick on the John O’Shea & Tom Charlton-trained mare.

Dylan Gibbons after riding Unreachable to victory at Rosehill in August.Credit: Getty Images

It was a month between runs after her easy win over 2100m at Gosford at the end of August into her narrow victory over a similar trip at Warwick Farm and Gibbons likes the three-week turnaround this time.

“We probably realised she’s one who seems to thrive off her work,” Gibbons said. “The start before she travelled well and quickened up and was a good, sharp, winner but she made hard work of it the other day.

“It was good to see her still pull out enough to win, and you’d think a quicker turnaround up to 2400m should see her be a good hope again.”

Mama Joy is bred to relish the 2400m and Gibbons said that’s the least of his concern with the mare.

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She’ll be forced to carry top weight, and rises 2.5kg on her last start win, but the jockey said she appears well-placed to continue her run of form.

“Her attitude, and the way she races I couldn’t see it being much of an issue,” he said. “She’s a proper stayer, she does whatever you need and she saves every penny until the end. If anything she was a bit too cruisy the other day but she’s as good a ride as you’ll get.”

Gibbons partners Heuristic, a new recruit into the Bjorn Baker yard, in the Headwater @ Vinery Stud Handicap (1200m) and he says the gelding’s two trials suggests he can turn his form around.

The former Godolphin galloper had four unplaced runs for Peter Snowden last season but was a Group 3 winner as a younger horse so clearly has some ability.

“His form wasn’t the greatest last preparation so a change is as good as a holiday I loved his first trial, he was very sharp,” Gibbons said. “It was probably a blessing they went quick in his second trial. It gave him that solid grounding.

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Full form and race replays available at racingnsw.com.au

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