Joe Pride-trained sprinter Storm The Ramparts laps up heavy conditions in Randwick victory
Storm The Ramparts enhanced his reputation as a superior mudlark with his all-the-way win at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Top jockey Adam Hyeronimus produced another tactically perfect frontrunning ride on Storm The Ramparts in the Taylor Construction Handicap (1000m) to complement his earlier winning effort on unbeaten two-year-old filly Agarwood.
For trainer Joe Pride, it was more a case of maximising what was a gilt-edged opportunity for Storm The Ramparts given the heavy track conditions.
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'This horse is a very good wet-tracker, that was the big ace up his sleeve today,'' Pride said.
'I was pleasantly surprised to get here to see how wet the track was and the times they were running as it gave Storm The Ramparts his chance to win.
'With a horse like him, we have got to take advantage of these opportunities because they might only get one or two each preparation.
'We probably won't get a track this wet again for him this campaign but we will keep chasing the wet tracks with him.''
Storm The Ramparts leads from start to finish and wins at Randwick! ðŸ'Œ
Hippo gets his double! ✌� @PrideRacing pic.twitter.com/BY5yFVTQip
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 24, 2025
Storm The Ramparts ($7.50) held off the late charge of Grand Larceny ($5) to win by a neck with Hi Dubai ($8.50) a half-length away third.
Winning Proposal was backed into $4.20 favouritism but after going wide on the turn, she failed to run on as well as expected and laboured to finish only seventh, beaten about four lengths.
The winner stopped the clock at 1m 01.33s which was nearly six seconds outside the course record set by another Pride sprinter, Eduardo, and reflective of the extremely heavy track conditions.
There was also more than 16 lengths between Storm The Ramparts and the last-placed finisher, Big Me, which is a huge disparity in a 1000m race but also an indication of the testing track surface.
Storm The Ramparts is a half-brother to stablemate Dragonstone, a last-start winner of the Listed Hawkesbury Rush.
Although Storm The Ramparts might not be quite as good as his older sibling, the four-year-old is proving a great moneyspinner and is building a good race record.
Storm The Ramparts scored his third career win (and eight minor placings) from just 14 starts and took his overall prizemoney to nearly $300,000 – a considerable return on the $85,000 connections paid to purchase the horse at the 2022 Magic Millions Yearling Sale.
Pride was also more than satisfied with the closing effort of Testator Silens to finish sixth, beaten just over two lengths by Storm The Ramparts.
'Testsator Silens has run really well and he will be back here at Randwick for a 1300m race in two weeks,'' Pride said.
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