Californian rock legends The Beach Boys are not alone in picking up ‘Good Vibrations’.
Dawnie Boy, a member of Bradley Gibbs’ Hertfordshire stable, is benefitting from vibrations that speed the blood flow to his troublesome knees and could make him very hard to beat this season. The nine-year-old had little trouble in beating the Georgina Nicholls-trained Viroflay at Chaddesley Corbett in early December, and the last-named horse has won twice since, including when landing last week’s Coronation Cup at Larkhill.
Gibbs is expecting to run nine-year-old Dawnie Boy, who is owned by Julian Sherriff, at Buckfastleigh on Sunday after opting to swerve the option of a race at Brocklesby Park tomorrow, although a session on a vibrating floor this morning will be a key part of the horse’s preparation. Speaking from his stable, Gibbs said: “I was 50/50 about going for the conditions race at Brocklesby or the intermediate race at Buckfastleigh in order to qualify him for the Cheltenham evening meeting’s intermediate hunters’ chase. I’ve got Theshoddytradesman for that race, but it’s good to have back-up.
“The form of Dawnie Boy’s win is looking good, but I’ve had him four years and only run him four times. He had a lot of trouble with his knees when I got him so he had an operation, but became upset when coming round from the anaesthetic and cracked a bone in his knee. He came out of the operation worse than he went in.
“We’ve had a vibro plate installed and he stands on that for 30 to 40 minutes each day – it’s made a huge difference to him. We couldn’t believe it. He’s a different horse.
“I’ve always thought he was very smart and hopefully we can now go to war.”
Gibbs gave an update on talented mare Highway Jewel, who was bowling along in front when falling at Chipley Park on Saturday. He said: “She’s fine; we thought we would give her a week or two. We’ll enter for Badbury Rings, but we would need rain to run her.”
Of Chipley Park winner Theshoddytradesman he said: “He’s 100 per cent. He won so easily he could have gone round again. We don’t know how good he could be.”
Bradley Gibbs, who seems to have found the key to Dawnie Boy **Carl Evans