Gethings hoping Chepstow double can spark more success

Adam Morgan
January 8, 2023 5:57 pm

Jockey steers home Galice Macalo and Moonlighter.

Ciaran Gethings was the man to follow at Chepstow on Sunday, with the jockey hoping a double on the card aboard Galice Macalo and Moonlighter will kick start his season.

Gethings first got on the scoresheet aboard Jane Williams’ Galice Macalo in the Best Odds Guaranteed At Vickers.Bet Everyday Mares’ Handicap Hurdle.

The jockey has now ridden the seven-year-old in her last four outings and was confident a switch back to hurdles would see the 3-1 favourite at her best.

Warwick Races – October 1st 2020 — Galice Macalo, here winning at Warwick, made a welcome return to the winner’s enclosure under Ciaran Gethings at Chepstow on Sunday (PA)

“I quite fancied her,” he said. “She’s not quite a natural chaser, she’s a little bit careful over her jumps. So we said last time we would step her back over hurdles and she was much happier over them and won well.

“She was down to a good mark and she was a really classy mare in her day, so it was good to get her head back in front and also get a winner for Jane which is nice.”

It took just 30 minutes for Gethings to add to his tally as the 10-year-old Moonlighter showed plenty of guts to rally once headed and get off the mark for trainer Kim Bailey in the Go Racing With Vickers.Bet Handicap Chase.

He continued: “He’s not the easiest and there is a lot that could be said for his jumping sometimes, but I’ve done quite a bit of schooling with him at home.

“He hasn’t ran bad for Kim the last twice, but I think the wind operation helped him breath and he wasn’t panicking as much.

Moonlighter, here winning at Sandown, got on the scoresheet for the first time since switching to Kim Bailey at Chepstow on Sunday (Alan Crowhurst/PA)

“He jumped brilliantly today and he is so hardy and so genuine as well – he’s had a few tumbles and it obviously doesn’t knock him. He got into a battle after the last and stuck his head out.”

The two victories took the rider up to 16 for the current campaign and with a first double of the season in the bag, he is hoping more opportunities present themselves in a campaign hindered by poor weather.

“I’m probably a little bit slow on numbers this year, but getting two on the board takes you back up the list a bit,” said Gethings.

“It’s just been a quieter year through weather and abandonments, so I’m a little down on rides, but hopefully I’ll be able to get near mid 20 winners again this year – that is always the target.”

Elsewhere on the card, Jonjo O’Neill Jr gave his father’s Monbeg Genius (5-4 favourite) a cute ride to follow up a wide-margin win at Newcastle last month with another five-length success in the Vickers.Bet Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase.