Miss Cartel has the horsepower to monopolise at Muswellbrook
By John Schell
Jockey Andrew Gibbons will be hoping talented mare Miss Cartel can maintain her winning form when the pair combine again at Muswellbrook on Tuesday.
Gibbons has had a good association with the Angela Davies-trained four-year-old, and since resuming this campaign the jockey has been aboard for a first-up second at Hawkesbury before two straight wins at Scone and Taree.
Racing returns to Muswellbrook on Tuesday, with an eight-race meeting.Credit: Brendan Esposito
Miss Cartel is set to contest the Horsepower Benchmark 66 Handicap (1280m) at Muswellbrook and Gibbons thinks she can extend the winning run from the inside barrier.
“She’s drawn to get every chance from the gate,” said Gibbons. “She’s a mare that races on the speed and makes her own luck, so I’d expect her to be up there from the outset like she has been in her two recent wins.
“If she can run up to those efforts, and I see no reason why she won’t, then she should take plenty of beating again.”
Gibbons has several other good rides at Muswellbrook, including the Kris Lees trained Bangetta in The Remington Muswellbrook Class 3 Handicap (1450m), and Bertie for trainer Kim Waugh in the Muswellbrook Steel Supplies Maiden Handicap (1450m).
“Bangetta is coming off a last-start win at Muswellbrook when I was on her,” Gibbons said. “She hit the line well that day in what was a similar race, given it was over the same distance she faces on Tuesday. A repeat of that effort would make her hard to beat again.”
Gibbons has also been the regular rider of Bertie and has been placed on the gelding a couple of times recently before finishing fourth on him in his latest two starts.
“He’s been racing pretty well without winning,” said Gibbons. “The placings at Wyong and Newcastle were sound.”
Gibbons has three other rides at Muswellbrook in the shape of Tuncurry for Wayne Wilkes in the Two Rivers Wines Country Boosted Maiden Plate (1280m), Exothrill for Peter Green in the Kosciuszko Tickets On Sale Now 3YO&Up Maiden Plate (1000m) and Little Bit Flash for Jeremy Gask in the Tab.com.au Country Boosted Benchmark 58 Handicap (1000m).
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