Racing: Trainer Chris Gibbs dominant on Ruakaka home track

Greencast, with Sam Weatherley aboard, wins at Ruakaka. Photo / Trish Dunell

Local trainer Chris Gibbs enjoyed a red-letter day on his home patch at Ruakaka on the weekend, producing five winners on the 10-race card.

Amongst those was victory in one of the day's feature events, the Reyburn & Bryant Bream Bay Cup (1600m) with Greencast.

The Iffraaj 5-year-old hadn't been seen since finishing near last in the Northland Cup (1600m) on the track in November. Settled near the rear by rider Sam Weatherley, Greencast was taken to the outside to make his run in the home straight where he produced a powerful burst to join issue at the 200m mark.

Driven to the lead by Weatherley, Greencast held out the fast-finishing run of stablemate Jake The Muss to win by three-quarters of a length with Woodsman back in third.

Gibbs, who has taken sole charge of the Ruakaka operation after senior partner Donna Logan's move to Singapore, was taken with the effort by Weatherley, who finished with a winning treble on the day.

"He rode him [Greencast] beautifully," he said.

"I told him to jump out from the wide draw, aim for the corner and they will soon work out what they all going to do.

"He ended up with a lovely trail and they went hard up front.

"He rode him really well so good on him."

Gibbs was pleased with the performance of both of his runners who will now be aimed at the ITM Whangarei Gold Cup (2100m) on July 14.

"Both of the horses are aiming for the Whangarei Cup which has been our target," he said.

"Jake the Muss will hopefully then carry on through to the New Zealand Cup later in the year. Greencast might do that too but our earliest target has to be our local one.

"I was so pleased with Jake The Muss as he is definitely a New Zealand Cup horse."

Gibbs had earlier won a maiden 1400m contest with Tavezbac and went on to collect further victories with Vinevale, Not Usual Heart and Kyrie Eleison to round out the day.

– NZ Racing Desk