Gamblestown Backs His Chances
23 November 2015
Completing back-to-back wins was Pencarrow Stud-bred Gamblestown (Darci Brahma x Inniskillen) with an impressive two-and-a-half-length victory in the A$85,000 Schweppes Farewells Jimmy Cassidy Handicap (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
A last start winner at Rosehill, Gamblestown has won three of his last four starts for trainer Joseph Pride. Having won a total of five races among his 19-start career, he has been a winner over 1200m and 1400m.
“It was a career best win, the highest grade he has won,” commented Pride. “It’s great to see him capturing that form he showed early on.
“He will be set for the Villiers Stakes on 12 December (at Royal Randwick).”
Ridden by Sam Clipperton from barrier 1, Gamblestown settled mid-field as he followed the rail. Taking an inside run off the home turn Gamblestown powered down the straight to hit the front at the 200m mark and swept to victory by two-and-a-half-lengths over Wine Tales (Tale of the Cat) who finished in second place with Better Not Blue (Churchill Downs) in third.
Jamie Walter’s Proven Thoroughbreds purchased Gamblestown at New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2012 Select Sale for $85,000 from Pencarrow Stud.
The five-year-old gelding is now raced by Proven Thoroughbreds, Mr GP McDonald, Mr SM Greenaway, Mr M Graham, Redbank North Pty Ltd, Mr GI Murfet, Mrs KD King, Mr TD Glover, Mr GC Hall, Mr C Hall, Mr TK Willis, Mr BA Rankmore, Mr RW Glass, Mr GW Diggins and Mr IB Paterson.
Bred by Sir Peter Vela and Philip Vela, the son of Darci Brahma is out of winning Centaine mare Inniskillen, a half-sister to stakes-winner Insouciant (Keeper), winner of the Group 1 New Zealand One Thousand Guineas, Copper Mountain (Jetball), winner of the Group 3 Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes, and stakes placegetter Chateauneuf Dupape (Darci Brahma).