Gibbons, Pride combine for 2025 Winter Stakes boilover

Trainer Joe Pride found himself baffled after Estadio Mestalla’s poor early prep runs, but a gear change and shift in race tactics paid immediate dividends in the Listed Winter Stakes (1400m).

With blinkers added and a bold decision to lead from the jump, Estadio Mestalla delivered a performance that stunned punters and delighted connections, winning by a clear margin at odds of $61.

“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 explained.

“It’s not like him to be out of the money like that... 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.”

Estadio Mestalla defeated Robusto by 1-1/2 lengths, with stablemate Accredited running into third. The win was a significant form turnaround for a horse that finished second in the Little Dance last spring.

“Today, he took off a bit on the rider and I thought, ‘this is better’,” Pride said of his pre-race confidence. “We paid $70,000 for this horse off Chris Waller and he has been a great money-spinner.”

Jockey Dylan Gibbons rode three winners on the day, with Estadio Mestalla the middle leg of a treble. “I didn’t want to be the most hated man at Rosehill so I had to get him home,” he joked.

TRL’s Terry Kennedy called it one of the group’s best wins yet. “This horse just got nosed out in the Little Dance but for the NSW Tycoons, this is up there with our biggest wins.”

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

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