3 minute read

Chris Gibbs isn’t over-analysing the poor hands dealt to the stable’s Group One contenders at Hastings on Saturday.

Both Valley Girl and Hasselhoof will have wide gates to deal with in their chase for the opening leg of the Hawke’s Bay Triple Crown series, the Makfi Challenge Stakes.

“It is what it is and you have to work with it,” said Gibbs, who prepares the duo at Ruakaka with Donna Logan. “Somebody has to draw out there and unfortunately both of ours did.”

Valley Girl and Hasselhoof resumed on their home track earlier this month with the former winning the open sprint and the latter filling third spot.

“They are both in very good order and Hasselhoff has improved, the mare doesn’t really need to, and he has tightened up,” Gibbs said.

Their promising stablemate Mongolian Falcon has also come up with the outside gate in the El Roca Sprint.

“I’d like to see him ridden a bit quietly from out there and let him show the turn of foot we know he’s got,” Gibbs said.

The Gr.1 Victoria Derby hope was an impressive winner in his first three-year-old appearance at Ruakaka a fortnight ago.

The stable will also be represented by Barabas, another last-start winner, in the Westbury Stud – Proud to Partner the Cancer Society 1200.

“He’s in very good order and his work has been super,” Gibbs said. “It’s a big trip away for him and it could be the making of him.”

At his home meeting on Saturday, Gibbs tipped Zafrenzy (Craig Cogan Builder Bream Bay Cup) as a top chance.

“She’s improved again, she’s up a bit in weight but I really like her,” he said.

Gibbs said their talented three-year-olds Wyndspelle and The Soultaker were both also in good heart to resume in the Cookson Plumbing 1000.

“They have both been working really well. Wyndspelle is nominated for the Guineas (Caulfield) in Australia and he could go over for that or down to Riccarton for the 2000 Guineas where The Soultaker is likely to head.”