“He’s been going super. What generally finishes up these winter horses is the dry tracks, and he’ll get one this weekend.
“He’s been on two dryish tracks and run well, but sooner or later one of them will pull him up. It’s also his first start out of 78 grade, he steps up to a [benchmark] 88, but he’s very consistent, and makes his own luck up in front. He’ll be hard to beat again.”
Storm The Ramparts is by Headwater, a stallion whose progeny are a bit like a poorly brewed beer – fizz and excitement early on, but prone to going flat quickly. Pride, however, said Storm The Ramparts had been able to improve with each preparation because of his mare, Quick’s The Word.
“He’s out of a really good mare, he’s a half-brother to Dragonstone, which is probably what’s carrying him along,” Pride said.
“He’s a dream horse to own. A lot of people don’t like that ‘wet-tracker’ term for their horses, but it doesn’t bother me. If he’s a wet-tracker, he’s a wet-tracker.”
Pride also starts Estadio Mestalla and Accredited in the feature Winter Challenge, with his pair, and favourite Robusto, the three horses that all slugged it out in a finish a couple of weeks ago in Sydney.
“I think they’ve got the market right, and I’ll be shocked if my two or Robusto doesn’t win,” Pride said.
‘He’s a dream horse to own … If he’s a wet-tracker, he’s a wet-tracker.’
Joe Pride on Storm The Ramparts
“Estadio Mestalla is racing well and will make his own luck up front again, while Accredited, the turnaround from wet tracks to dry tracks, it’s massive when you look at his record. He’s a different horse on top of the ground. He raced on a soft 7 last start … he got through it, but not well.
“Saturday’s track will be much firmer, and he’ll love it. They’re both in their grade now, and I’m happy to pick off races in their grade.”
Meanwhile, Pride has a lot of time for two-year-old Reflect, the first horse he has trained for the Think Big Stud, whose white, black and yellow colours were made famous by late owner Dato Tan Chin Nam.
The $310,000 Magic Millions purchase has already had one race start, but the big black filly has enormous upside, said Pride, which punters will see over time.
Pride also confirmed several Godolphin horses that would be headed to his stable next month, including Caulfield Guineas winner Golden Mile, and Comedy, a two-year-old Snitzel colt that ran in the major lead-up races to the Golden Slipper.
Thompson gives his Blessing
Randwick trainer John Thompson won’t have a runner in the feature Winter Challenge – a race he won last year with $31 shot Jojo Was A Man – but he is counting on the form and impressive fresh record of With Your Blessing to give him a winner at Rosehill on Saturday.
With Your Blessing resumes in the July Sprint, an open 1100m handicap, after a 14-week spell and three sharp trials.
The six-year-old raced just off the leaders before hitting the line in all three trials, winning the past two at Canterbury and Hawkesbury.
With Your Blessing (yellow silks) wins at RandwickCredit: Getty
The encouraging return follows an excellent summer campaign which included wins at Randwick over 1100m and 1300m in benchmark 78 and 88 respectively on good going, and a photo-finish second to Iowna Merc in the group 3 Liverpool City Cup (1300m) at the track on March 1 in his most recent outing.
Thompson believed With Your Blessing was “a great chance” to return with a win on Saturday.
“He’s won a couple of trials, and he’s going really good,” Thompson said.
“He had a great prep last prep, and he is first up, and he normally goes well fresh. He’s had three trials waiting for this race, so he’s ready to go.”
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With Your Blessing, a $70,000 buy as a yearling, has won $568,205 across 29 starts, including six victories and 10 placings. Three of those wins and two placings have come when the son of Vadamos and Super Trouper was resuming.
Thompson’s stable will be searching for back-to-back Saturday city successes after Bundeena won first-up at Randwick last week in a 1000m benchmark 78 handicap.
The five-year-old Spirit Of Boom gelding, plagued by wide draws last preparation, made the most of an inside barrier and trouble-free run to win by one and a quarter lengths. He has drawn barrier eight with Alysha Collett to steer.