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Jockey Dylan Gibbons expects promising colt Under Focus to be within striking range in the group 2 Run To The Rose (1200m) from a better draw after an eye-catching finish in the Rosebud.
The Kris Lees-trained, Yulong-owned son of Too Darn Hot was into gate five of 12 in the Golden Rose lead-in and was $6 with TAB on Thursday.
Third in the group 3 Kindergarten Stakes in April, Under Focus returned in the listed Rosebud (1100m) and was back last after starting from barrier 11 of 13. Gibbons took him on a weaving run before he let down late in clear air to finish sixth, three lengths off winner Chilly Girl.
Gibbons was keen to find a spot closer to the action on Saturday from the better gate.
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“He’ll be able to be a bit more competitive from that draw,” Gibbons said.
“We drew wide the other day and had to just cop our medicine. There were bigger things in store, and he didn’t need to have a gut-buster first-up.
“He probably couldn’t have done much more from where he was, so you would imagine from that good gate, he will be doing what he was doing last preparation and putting himself in the first couple and that will have him in striking range to be a winning hope.”
Gibbons had similar hopes with Michael, John and Wayne Hawkes-trained Gangsta Granny ($9.50) in the group 2 Sheraco Stakes (1200m). It will be Gibbons’ first chance with the five-year-old, which was flat first-up when sixth in the group 2 Missile Stakes (1200m). That was the first time the mare had finished outside the placings across 13 career starts.
Co-trainer Michael Hawkes suspected a slow start was a factor in the performance.
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“Everyone’s entitled to have a bad race, but she’d never had a bad race, so it was a bit of a head scratcher,” Hawkes said.
“She’s dwelt at the start a bit and once she got back, that was the end of it. It was a head scratcher, but everything’s been good since. I can’t fault her. I’m expecting a bold showing.”
Gibbons hoped to have her in the mix early from gate four.
“She was obviously flying last prep and first-up was a below-par performance for her, so she’s been back to the trials, trying to get back in form, and I thought she trialled well,” he said.
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“She ticked a box there and if you ignore the first-up run, you would have to think she’s a good hope.”
Gibbons teams with former boss Lees in the Theo Marks Stakes with the resuming Lord Of Biscay ($12).
“He’s drawn eight and that’s not the worst thing for him because he seems to race better when he’s coiled up and building into the race when he wants to,” he said.
His best chance looks to be promising Bjorn Baker-trained stayer Appeared ($1.95) in the third (2400m). Gibbons has taken the import to wins at his first two Australian starts, at Newcastle (1880m) and Warwick Farm (2200m).
“He’s made it harder than it’s meant to be both times, but he seems to know where the line is,” he said.
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“We had a look and saw he won with winkers on at the Curragh before they bought him. They obviously did that for a reason, so we’ve gone back to that and hopefully that gives him more tactical speed late in the race.
“He puts himself in a good spot early, but then he goes through the motions a bit until the last 100m.”
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