Pride, Gibbons lead the way as Estadio Mestalla scores stakes boilover
Pride earlier relished the win of Storm The Ramparts and looked to the July Sprint at Rosehill in two weeks after the four-year-old defied a betting drift and big weight on the track.
Chasing a third benchmark 78 handicap win across his past four starts, the gelding known as 'Thunder' at the Pride stables led under Josh Parr and easily held off his rivals over 1100m carrying 62.5 kilograms.
Pride said Storm The Ramparts, which has come back from a shoulder fracture, was getting better with age and thrived on wet tracks.
He said the July Sprint 'wouldn't be out of the question' before quipping, 'or we might take him back to Randwick next week and run him in another 78 race and cop the couple of extra kilos'.
'Everyone was telling me weight was going to stop him today,' Pride said. 'Punters' obsession with weight is ridiculous. My horse is a better horse than [$1.80 favourite] Tarpaulin. I don't care, throw another couple of kilos on his back, he's just a better horse.'
Storm The Ramparts is out of the same mare, Quick's The Word, as Pride-trained Dragonstone. Pride also has a filly, by Captivant, out of Quick's The Word.
The win was part of a double for Parr, who piloted $21 shot Cloudland to a first-up victory for Newcastle trainer Kris Lees in the eighth, a 1200m benchmark 88.
Force to be reckoned with
Jockey Tommy Berry believed Raging Force could catch his rivals napping in spring features after the Peter Snowden-trained gelding was dominant in the two-year-old (1100m) handicap at Rosehill.
The son of Cosmic Force made it three from three this preparation after taking a sit behind Lull on Saturday before racing through a gap late and powering to a two-length win.
Berry believed Raging Force, which was spelled after an injury on debut in the Breeders Plate, was a preparation away from his best but could test the top three-year-olds in the spring.
'He's up and running now, heading to the Run to The Rose, Rosebud, Golden Rose, where the horses who have already proven themselves at the top level are still getting fit,' Berry said.
'He's the fit horse on the scene and he might be able to catch them napping hopefully,' Berry said.
He was proud of how Raging Force handled the changing race tactics, after they initially went for the lead.
'It just shows his versatility, how smart he is now and how much he's willing to work with us,' he said.
The Snowden stable plan to give Raging Force a short let-up before plotting a spring campaign.
Diddle Dumpling sweet for spring goal
Trainer Gerald Ryan was eyeing early spring stakes races for Diddle Dumpling after she broke through in town with a front-running ride from Tim Clark on her home track.
The three-year-old Deep Field filly, a $325,000 Magic Millions buy for John Singleton, led and kicked well late for a one-length victory over Matt Smith-trained, Gerry Harvey-owned Golden Straand.
Ryan said Diddle Dumpling overraced early in her career but had been racing better this time in. She won well at Gosford the start previous with a front-running ride from Nash Rawiller and connections opted to try the tactic again from a wide gate on Saturday.
'We'll probably try to win another one of these, but we're hoping to get black type with her,' Ryan said.
'She handles wet ground, so maybe a couple of those early mares races in August-September might be all right for her.'
African Daisy finally blossoms
Jockey Tim Clark believed the quick back-up, addition of blinkers, the inside draw and a soft surface were key factors in Jason Deamer-trained African Daisy winning for the first time in 889 days at Rosehill on Saturday.
The six-year-old, a $9.50 Sportsbet chance, won the Midway 1200m benchmark 72 handicap on a soft 7, a week after finishing last in a 1300m edition of the grade on good going at the track.
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Clark gave the Dynamic Syndications mare a sit behind the leader from gate one before pushing out to make clear running at the 300m on the way to a half-length victory over Equilibrist.
'She was plain the other day, so they went quick-up, blinkers on, for something different and it worked,' said Clark, who rode African Daisy at the end of her last preparation.
Ciaron Maher-trained Hi Dubai made it a double for Dynamic Syndications with a gritty front-running effort in the 1100m benchmark 78 for fillies and mares.
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