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A wide gate is the only concern Bryce Newman has with Joby when the three-year-old kicks of his South Island campaign on Saturday.
The Bulls trainer wasn’t best pleased with the barrier, but he is happy with the horse’s condition going into the Listed Liquorland Gore Guineas.
“I’m not sure about the visitor’s draw they’ve given me,” the leading equestrian identity said. “He’s not Levin Classic material and there’s not much else around so we’ve decided to have a crack down there.”Joby will be stabled at Timaru with Terrill Charles for the duration of his southern odyssey, which will also take in the Listed Dunedin Guineas and the Listed Southland Guineas.
“It’s a huge thanks to Terrill for looking after him and I’ll be flying backwards and forwards as well,” Newman said.Originally bought as a yearling for $28,000 to trade on, Joby broke his maiden at Woodville three runs back with a defeat of Crackling Rosie.
“He won nicely and the horse he beat has won two since so there’s a bit of form around him,” Newman said.Joby has subsequently run fourth at Otaki behind the handy mare Joanna and he filled a similar placing last time out behind the highly-regarded Stolen Dance at Awapuni.
“He didn’t go down by much and he was a bit of a sitting duck,” Newman said. “He’s a pretty honest horse.”His confidence has also been boosted by the decision of his regular rider Buddy Lammas to continue his association with the No Excuse Needed gelding on Saturday.
“Buddy knows the horse and he’s been pretty loyal to me,” Newman said.