Globetrotting Gibson Mounts Double Attack

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates—The most striking element of the Dubai World Cup meeting has always been its global pull. The international flavour of the meeting is perhaps perfectly embodied by Richard Gibson, the Englishman who cut his teeth in the competitive training ranks of Chantilly before moving seven years ago into the even more challenging territory of Hong Kong.

At 49, he's been around the world and back with stable flag-bearers from both bases and has arrived in Dubai ready to launch a two-pronged attack on the world's richest race day. Of course, for Hong Kong racehorse owners, the prize-money lure is not nearly so compelling as for those from elsewhere, but the draw of victory on a major international stage remains strong for Gibson.

“I'm comfortable now in my career in travelling horses. We've been doing it for a number of years, but with the Hong Kong racing system we don't get the opportunities to travel because there's so much prize-money at home that there's little incentive to travel,” says the trainer, whose earlier forays from his time in France included back-to-back wins in the G1 Hong Kong Vase with a horse still making headlines via his offspring.

Doctor Dino (Fr) (Muhtathir {GB}), now the sire of celebrated jumpers La Bague Au Roi (Fr), Sharjah (Fr) and Sceau Royal (Fr), not to mention the classy Flat fillies Golden Legend (Fr) and Physiocrate (Fr), netted almost £2 million in earnings during a globetrotting career which included not only his twin Sha Tin triumphs but also victory in the GI Man o'War S. at Belmont Park. Of equal importance to his young trainer was the fact that it made his name instantly recognisable to Hong Kong's racing cognoscenti when the time came to take up residence at Sha Tin himself.

Doctor Dino was also the first horse Gibson brought to Dubai, back in the old days of Nad Al Sheba, with the stallion finishing third in the 2008 G1 Dubai Sheema Classic.

“We also came here with Akeed Mofeed (GB), who could have run better in the Dubai World Cup, so it's great to be back here again with a couple of international performers,” he says.

The two horses currently under his care at Meydan have been plucked from each hemisphere. Gold Mount (GB) (Excellent Art {GB}) knows a thing or two about performing on the big stage having won the King George V S. at Royal Ascot in 2016 when trained by Alan King and known by the name of Primitivo. He was also notable for being the first major Flat winner for erstwhile jump jockey Willie Twiston-Davies. Since then the Pan Sutong-owned 6-year-old has become a reliable Hong Kong campaigner and joined Gibson's stable for the start of the current season. His new trainer believes a step up in distance for the G2 Dubai Gold Cup should be well within his capabilities and, depending on the outcome of tomorrow's race, could pave the way for more international outings.

“It's the same old adage, one race at a time,” he says. “The reason that he's travelling is simple, and that's because we don't have staying races in Hong Kong and there isn't a 2400-metre race for him for another two months. The horse needs a minimum of 2400 metres. Ryan (Moore) rode him only a month ago in Hong Kong and we were really pleased with the way the horse ran. We know that he's crying out for a longer distance and I'd already entered him here in the Sheema Classic but Ryan was keen to try further and luckily so was the owner, who has agreed to roll the dice. I think if he was trained in Europe he would already be very comfortable over the distance.”

The same owner and trainer combination has already come excruciatingly close to Group 1 success overseas with Gold Fun (Ire) (Le Vie Dei Colori {GB}), who was beaten a neck by Twilight Son (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}) in the G1 Diamond Jubilee S. at Royal Ascot in 2016. Should Gold Mount prevail over a competitive field for the Dubai Gold Cup, he will qualify for a tilt at the Weatherbys Hamilton Stayers' Million, meaning that a return to Royal Ascot for the Gold Cup may prove tempting for his connections.

At the opposite end of the distance spectrum and from the other side of the world hails Wishful Thinker (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}), who is something of a rising star of the Hong Kong sprinting ranks and joined Gibson just over a year ago having started off in his native Australia in the Melbourne stable of Mick Price. The 5-year-old will jump from stall 13 in the 13-runner field for the G1 Al Quoz Sprint, headed, on paper at least, by Godolphin's proven Group 1 performer Blue Point (Ire) (Shamardal).

“Wishful Thinker is drawn stands' side, which the experts tell me is good, and as long as the experts are happy so am I,” Gibson says with a grin as he casts his eye down the long, green stretch of the Meydan sprint course.

“Hong Kong has been strong in this division for a number of years and Hong Kong sprinters have always performed well in Dubai. The guy we have brought is one of the up-and-coming sprinters of Hong Kong. He's won four out of five this season, which is a tough thing to do in Hong Kong. I brought him here as I like the idea of running on a 1200-metre straight, which again we don't have in Hong Kong. So that's why we're here and we sacrificing a couple of group races in Hong Kong to come here. The owners of this horse are a syndicate and a good bunch of friends and they have been game to take up the challenge of travelling him. My gut feeling says that he's going to be better over a straight 1200 metres rather than a turning 1200.”

From the rural north of England, not far from the border with Scotland, Gibson has found his niche in his adopted home among the skyscrapers of the Far East, his professional profile doubtless boosted by his training of the Hong Kong Cup and Hong Kong Derby winner Akeed Mofeed, Gold Fun and G1 Stewards' Cup winner Giant Treasure (Mizzen Mast) among others.

He says, “Hong Kong came up at a good time in my career. It sounds a bit of a cliche but you never stop learning and it certainly opened up my eyes to a very different format of training. Hong Kong is very Americanised in its training programme—our race programme is very sprint-orientated so it's been very interesting learning and adapting to a new system.”

He adds, “I never worked with horses in England. I arrived in France at a young age and a bit by chance really I stayed there, and then luckily the Hong Kong Jockey Club came knocking at my door at the right time in my career. I was very lucky to be asked and I haven't looked back since.”