Allan Gibson had no real explanation for Cowboys Karma’s drop in form.
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He tried different gear and different approaches but in the end he just opted to turn the gelding out and spell him.
That decision, made early in the year, has worked wonder with Cowboys Karma now two-from-two after victory in Friday’s Dubbo Pet Medical Centre Benchmark 56 Handicap (1300m).
Cowboys Karma was spelled for 27 weeks and after running eighth at Mudgee on his return he has scored wins at Gibson’s hometown track.
“We had a bit of drama last preparation but he seems to have turned the corner and two in a row, you couldn’t ask for more than that,” Gibson said, before speaking about what’s caused the turnaround in form.
“Just the spell I think. The spell did him the world of good and we took some gear off him before because we had troubles with tongue ties and tongue control bits so we took it all off and started over again and so far we haven’t had any problems.”
The two wins have also come with Cowra-based jockey Eleanor Webster-Hawes in the saddle.
Gibson confirmed trackwork rider Ken Dunbar usually gets his rides but with the veteran hoop had already pre-booked the past two meetings.
Webster-Hawes has taken her chance with both hands and her rich vein of form continued on Friday when she led Cowboys Karma to a convincing one-and-three-quarter length win.
Frontrunners had enjoyed success earlier in the day and that was the way Webster-Hawes got the job done on Cowboys Karma.
Leading the field at the top of the straight, Cowboys Karma moved clear but Raise A Drop ($17) stayed close while Cameron Crockett’s Turcotte ($3.80) began to loom. But Cowboys Karma proved there was still some juice in the tank by going on to make it four wins from 23 starts.
“That’s the way he likes to race. He leaves himself open to anything else to run him down if they can but they weren’t able to and I’m happy we got the result,” Gibson said, adding Webster-Hawes was doing an “excellent job”.
Webster-Hawes piloted the six-year-old to victory on Dubbo Gold Cup day on September 17 and while Gibson said that was a “tough run” that had left Cowboys Karma a bit tight, he came into Friday’s meeting in top shape.
The Dubbo trainer stated there were no immediate plans with his in-form galloper with more starts around the local area likely.
The win was part of a double for Webster-Hawes on Friday after she had earlier guided Cosmologist to victory in the Skin Corrective Centre Class 1 and Maiden Plate (1600m).
Webster-Hawes led the Dean Mirfin-trained gelding into the straight and managed to hold off a fast-finishing Foxdown.