Pride’s Outsider Estadio Mestalla Wins Winter Stakes

Dane Squance - Saturday July 5

The lone stakes race on Rosehill’s ten-race card on Saturday saw Joe Pride’s race outsider Estadio Mestalla (Galileo Gold) take out the $200,000 Listed ATC Winter Stakes (1400m) in a boilover.

Stakes placed in the Listed Civic Stakes this time last year, the rising 7yo gelding had disappointed at his most recent two starts since resuming from a spell with Pride working his magic, adding blinkers as well as a change in tactics which resulted in success, his first at stakes level.

Winter Stakes Boilover As Estadio Mestalla Wins With Ease - Image Bradley Photos

Jumping away from barrier ten in the 13-horse field, jockey Dylan Gibbons went forward to eventually find the lead with race favourite Whinchat (Russian Revolution) over racing and pulling himself into second position.

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Not known for his front-running style, many would’ve assumed Estadio Mestalla would just put up the white flag and surrender in the run home, but in fact it was Whinchat who was weakening quickly as the leader kept going.

With Bjorn Baker’s Robusto (Churchill) searching for a run before Accredited (All Too Hard) came up on his outside and closed the door, Estadio Mestalla was still making every post a winner and while the race appeared over, it was now more a question as to who was going to fill the minor placings.

Winning by the best part of a length and a half, It was the first stakes victory for Estadio Mestalla, with Robusto taking second after finally securing clear running, just ahead of the winner’s stablemate Accredited.

Pride was perplexed after Estadio Mestalla's  efforts at his prior two runs, but some changes resulted in success.

"He has been very disappointing at his first two runs back and I have honestly been scratching my head because he is a very genuine and very honest horse," Pride said.

"It's not like him to be out of the money like that.

"I went a little bit early with the blinkers than what I normally would in a preparation but I felt like I had to do something and make a change.

"It was fantastic. It was good to see him out there rolling along and he looked happy and comfortable and gave a really big kick."

"I have been telling the jockeys, 'watch him going to the gates because he'll pull and be a bit ferocious' and the first two runs back he has gone around like a kid's pony," he said.

"Today, he took off a bit on the rider and I thought, 'this is better'.

Initially part of the Chris Waller stable, The Racing League's (TRL's) NSW Tycoons syndicate and partners were fortunate enough to secure the gelding for $65,000 via Inglis Digital and with Saturday’s win taking his earnings past $780,000, he’s been a great money spinner for connections.

The second of three winners at the meeting for Gibbons, it was clearly a good day.

"I thought we were going to see a good performance and with a million owners too, I didn't want to be the most hated man at Rosehill so I had to get him home," Gibbons said.

The Biggest Thrill To Date For The Racing League's NSW Tycoons Syndicate - Image Bradley Photos

Having finished second in The Big Dance last year, TRL representative Terry Kennedy felt they would try and secure a position in that race once again, hoping to go one better this November.

"This horse just got nosed out in the Little Dance but for the NSW Tycoons, this is up there with our biggest wins," Kennedy said.

"We will try to qualify this horse for the Little Dance again and try to win it this time."

One of eight stakes winners, and first in Australia for his sire Galileo Gold, the Mrs Lena Farrell -bred Estadio Mestalla is one of three winners out of the Elusive Quality mare Superior Charm from an international black type family.

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Race Result - Precise Air Winter Stakes LR 1400m

Rosehill Track: Soft(7) Time: 1:25.20
1
Estadio Mestalla
- 6g Galileo Gold (GB) x Superior Charm (USA) (Elusive Quality (USA))
Tnr: Joseph Pride Rdr: Dylan Gibbons 54.5
2
1.5
Robusto
- 5g Churchill (IRE) x She's Clean (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: Bjorn Baker Rdr: J Parr 60
Churchill
3
1.7
Accredited
- 5g All Too Hard (AUS) x Well Credentialled (AUS) (O'reilly (NZ))
Tnr: Joseph Pride Rdr: A B Collett 55
All Too Hard
4
1.9
Thunderlips
- 4g Zoustar (AUS) x Shapita (AUS) (Foxwedge (AUS))
Tnr: Bjorn Baker Rdr: Anna Roper 54
5
2.8
Green Fly
- 6g Frankel (GB) x Via Pisa (FR) (Pivotal (GB))
Tnr: A & S Freedman Rdr: Braith Nock 53
6
3
Phearson
- 7g Exosphere (AUS) x Chateau D'yquem (NZ) (Pins (AUS))
Tnr: Brad Widdup Rdr: Tom Sherry 55
7
3.5
Welwal
- 6g Shalaa (IRE) x Cheriearch (USA) (Arch (USA))
Tnr: M Price & M Kent Jnr Rdr: Tommy Berry 60
8
3.7
Bases Loaded
- 4g Deep Field (AUS) x Passarelle (AUS) (Not A Single Doubt (AUS))
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: Tim Clark 55.5
9
4
Saltcoats
- 4g Ardrossan (AUS) x Savanite (NZ) (Savabeel (AUS))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: Reece Jones 54
10
4.7
Contemporary
- 5g Exceed And Excel (AUS) x Memorial (AUS) (Street Cry (IRE))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: Rachel King 54.5
11
6
Ruby Flyer
- 6g Flying Artie (AUS) x Kellyville Flyer (AUS) (Oratorio (IRE))
Tnr: Brad Widdup Rdr: W F Pinn 53
12
6.1
Whinchat
- 5g Russian Revolution (AUS) x Natchwhali (NZ) (O'reilly (NZ))
Tnr: David Pfieffer Rdr: J Ford 54.5
13
7.4
Astero
- 7g Zoustar (AUS) x Lacey Lou (AUS) (Snitzel (AUS))
Tnr: Matthew Smith Rdr: A Adkins 53
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