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Sydney Morning Herald
05-07-2025
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
Pride, Gibbons lead the way as Estadio Mestalla scores stakes boilover
'He's going better than me, so I'll have to keep him around.' 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. Loading 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. Yes Yes Yes to Gooree Park

The Age
05-07-2025
- Sport
- The Age
Pride, Gibbons lead the way as Estadio Mestalla scores stakes boilover
'He's going better than me, so I'll have to keep him around.' 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. Loading 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. Yes Yes Yes to Gooree Park

Courier-Mail
05-07-2025
- Sport
- Courier-Mail
Peter Snowden unearths spring contender with Raging Force bringing up hat-trick at Rosehill
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. Raging Force, Sydney's winter two-year-old sprint find, seems destined for stardom after another exciting win at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday. Champion jockey Tommy Berry is the number one ticketholder in Raging Force's growing fan club after a dominant win in the Thank You ATC Members Handicap (1100m). Berry said the promising young sprinter is simply 'too good' to be racing at this stage of the season. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! 'Raging Force definitely has stakes potential,' Berry said. 'He is still learning his craft but I loved the way he took that gap in the straight. 'He still has to make more improvement which I think he will. He's improving with every start and you don't see how good they are until they race against the better quality of horses because that brings the best out of them.' Trained by the maestro Peter Snowden, Raging Force was confidently backed into $1.70 favouritism and completed a hat-trick of wins when he scored easily by 2¼ lengths from Horseshoe Hill ($7) with nearly three lengths to Lull ($21) third. Raging Force showed promise at the early season barrier trials but pulled up sore when unplaced on debut in the Breeders Plate. Snowden gave the two-year-old plenty of time to recover and waited until winter to take the gelding back to the races, winning the Red Crown at Muswellbrook first-up, then winning by a big margin at the Kensington midweeks before making the rise to Sydney Saturday grade look routine. 'Raging Force was very good today,' Berry said. 'I was very proud of the way he reacted to the situation that unfolded in the first furlong and a half. 'When he jumped so well I was a bit positive to try and hold that lead but they went quick and I let them cross. 'He got his head up for two or three strides but then came back under me. It just shows his versatility, how 'smart' he is now and how much he is willing to work with us. 'I could have sent him to the line without the stick today but I did that last time and I thought I would help him find the line as he has tougher tasks ahead. 'I still feel he will be better at 1200m and 1400m when he can get into a rhythm, relax, and it is not all 100 miles an hour. He is simply too good for them at the moment.' Raging Force continues the outstanding season of leading syndicator Scott Darby of Darby Racing which has already yielded more than 100 winners including the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes, Group 2 wins in The Ingham, Shannon Stakes, and Ajax Stakes, Group 3 wins in the Sydney Stakes, Brisbane Cup, Sweet Embrace Stakes, Newcastle Stakes, Parramatta Cup, Queen Elizabeth II Cup and Liverpool City Cup, plus a host of Listed races. 'I purchased Raging Force at the Classic Sale for $150,000. We bought him purely on type, he is a lovely horse,' Darby said. 'He will have two weeks off then we will plan a spring campaign for him.' The promising rising three-year-old is a son of Snowden's former crack sprinter Cosmic Force, winner of the 2019 Pago Pago Stakes by seven lengths before finishing unplaced as favourite to Kiamichi in the Golden Slipper. Snowden wasn't on track at Rosehill but his stable representative Aaron Lau confirmed there are plans to set Raging Force for some of the better three-year-old races in spring. 'We're going to tip him out for a couple of weeks. Obviously, the spring isn't far, it will be on our doorstep very shortly,' Lau said. 'We just wanted to get today over and done with and see where he stood. He was up against a few last start winners and Bjorn's horse (Baker, trainer of Horseshoe Hill) goes very well, as does Blake Ryan's, he rates his horse (Just Awesome) as well so it was nice to see Raging Force do it today. 'He's got a great attitude, a lovely, big action and he's probably better on top of the ground as well. He's very progressive and it's exciting going forward.' Raging Force's hat-trick of winter wins means he is 'officially in the black' with nearly $170,000 prizemoney – and the promise of a lot more to come. Berry said Raging Force's improvement from race to race was evident in the first 200m of his Rosehill Win. 'All he wants to do is relax and when he jumped he put his head straight on his chest but I thought we will end up three pairs back on the fence so I had to push him along to hold the lead,' he said. 'Then they wanted to go too quick so I asked him to come back and after a couple of strides he was sweet. 'I stayed about a length and a half back so I had options to go around them if I needed but I could see Regan's horse (Bayliss on Just Awesome) runs around a bit. I thought he is going to give us some room at some point and he did. 'But I think Pete's masterstroke was to take him away to Muswellbrook and then even after that another trip away to Wyong for the trials as education. 'He may have still won those two races anyway but I don't think he would have executed as well today if he had not had those trips away.' Originally published as Tommy Berry declares Raging Force a stakes contender as gelding brings up hat-trick with impressive win at Rosehill

Sydney Morning Herald
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘His contribution will not be forgotten': Tributes flow for $720m super stud Snitzel
Four-time champion Australian sire Snitzel has died after a glittering stud career which produced 23 individual group 1 winners, sales of some $450 million and prizemoney of $273 million worldwide. A son of another champion stallion, Redoute's Choice, Snitzel was euthanised on Wednesday morning at age 22 at Arrowfield Stud in Scone after showing 'signs of age-related decline' since last year. 'Despite comprehensive veterinary support and the daily dedication of Arrowfield's experienced stallion team, his condition deteriorated rapidly over the past week,' Arrowfield Stud said in a statement. 'With no treatment options remaining, the decision was made to allow him a peaceful and dignified farewell.' Foaled on August 24, 2002, the son of by Snippets' Lass won seven of his 15 starts on the track for Rosehill trainer Gerald Ryan. The victories included the listed Breeders Plate on debut and the group 3 Skyline and Up And Coming Stakes, before his sole group 1 win in the Oakleigh Plate. Starting his stud career in 2006, Snitzel went on to sire 160 stakes winners and was crowned champion Australian stallion four seasons in a row, from 2016-17 to 2019-20. His service fee last year was $247,500. His champion progeny include Chris Waller-trained star filly Lady Shenandoah, two-time Everest champion Redzel, four-time group 1-winner Trapeze Artist and Golden Slipper winners Marhoona (2025), Estijaab (2018) and Shinzo (2023). On Tuesday at Seymour, two-year-old colt Job Done became Snitzel's 20th individual juvenile winner for the season. He will be part of Snitzel's fifth Australian 2YO sires' premiership. Snitzel's direct progeny have won $273,085,262 in prizemoney worldwide, with most of that success coming in Australia, where they have won $218,014,638 and 146 stakes races. 'Arrowfield acknowledges the profound impact of his passing, not only as the loss of a great horse, but as the end of a significant chapter in the stud's history. Snitzel was more than a commercial success; he was a reliable and stoic presence who shaped the daily rhythm of life at the farm and anchored many careers,' the Arrowfield statement read 'Like his sire Redoute's Choice and grandsire Danehill, Snitzel became a cornerstone not only of Arrowfield's breeding program, but of the broader Australian thoroughbred industry. His contribution to the sport, measured in champions, premierships, and the people he brought together, will not be forgotten.'

The Age
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
‘His contribution will not be forgotten': Tributes flow for $720m super stud Snitzel
Four-time champion Australian sire Snitzel has died after a glittering stud career which produced 23 individual group 1 winners, sales of some $450 million and prizemoney of $273 million worldwide. A son of another champion stallion, Redoute's Choice, Snitzel was euthanised on Wednesday morning at age 22 at Arrowfield Stud in Scone after showing 'signs of age-related decline' since last year. 'Despite comprehensive veterinary support and the daily dedication of Arrowfield's experienced stallion team, his condition deteriorated rapidly over the past week,' Arrowfield Stud said in a statement. 'With no treatment options remaining, the decision was made to allow him a peaceful and dignified farewell.' Foaled on August 24, 2002, the son of by Snippets' Lass won seven of his 15 starts on the track for Rosehill trainer Gerald Ryan. The victories included the listed Breeders Plate on debut and the group 3 Skyline and Up And Coming Stakes, before his sole group 1 win in the Oakleigh Plate. Starting his stud career in 2006, Snitzel went on to sire 160 stakes winners and was crowned champion Australian stallion four seasons in a row, from 2016-17 to 2019-20. His service fee last year was $247,500. His champion progeny include Chris Waller-trained star filly Lady Shenandoah, two-time Everest champion Redzel, four-time group 1-winner Trapeze Artist and Golden Slipper winners Marhoona (2025), Estijaab (2018) and Shinzo (2023). On Tuesday at Seymour, two-year-old colt Job Done became Snitzel's 20th individual juvenile winner for the season. He will be part of Snitzel's fifth Australian 2YO sires' premiership. Snitzel's direct progeny have won $273,085,262 in prizemoney worldwide, with most of that success coming in Australia, where they have won $218,014,638 and 146 stakes races. 'Arrowfield acknowledges the profound impact of his passing, not only as the loss of a great horse, but as the end of a significant chapter in the stud's history. Snitzel was more than a commercial success; he was a reliable and stoic presence who shaped the daily rhythm of life at the farm and anchored many careers,' the Arrowfield statement read 'Like his sire Redoute's Choice and grandsire Danehill, Snitzel became a cornerstone not only of Arrowfield's breeding program, but of the broader Australian thoroughbred industry. His contribution to the sport, measured in champions, premierships, and the people he brought together, will not be forgotten.'