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By Ray Hickson

Jockey Dylan Gibbons sees no reason to change to formula that led to Estadio Mestalla’s upset last start win when they chase a winter feature race double to Rosehill on Saturday.

Dylan Gibbons (Pic: Bradley Photos).

And while his Winter Stakes win was unexpected by the market, he said the onus is on his rivals in the Listed $200,000 Asahi Super Dry Winter Challenge (1500m) to run him down again.

Estadio Mestalla, $8 with TAB on Thursday, has 3kg more to carry but if anything Gibbons says the race could work even more in his favour than it did a fortnight ago.

“It’s similar to the other day, he’s drawn wide with the blinkers on, and he was able to roll forward and do it at both ends,” he said.

“He may have had no expectation (on him) but when I looked into the form his first run was a pass mark and then he’s a noted horse to never do anything second up. The market had him 60/1 but I wasn’t treating him like that.

“Hopefully it’s just a race of ability versus ability. There were some luckless ones behind him but he still got the run on the board now for winning.

“It’s a 3kg swing to some of them so that’s not ideal but how much does that actually impact. We’ll find out Saturday.”

The six-year-old’s trainer Joe Pride noted after his Winter Stakes win that Estadio Mestalla was a lot more lively pre-race and on the way to the gates than in his first two runs back.

It’s more in keeping with what’s normal for the horse and Gibbons said he did feel particularly on song on the day.

“He was happy to do what he did, he was able to give himself a slight breather through the middle part then gave a strong kick,’’ he said.

“A horse is always going to be hard to beat if they can roll along and give themselves a breather and kick off it.

“He might be able to get it a bit cheaper in that early bit but you don’t want to go too steady on him as he seems to enjoy rolling along. We’ve just got to try and repeat what we did last time.”

Gibbons was rapt when he saw the barrier draw for Tasoraay in the Stuart MacDermid Handicap (1500m) as he says it’ll allow him to ride the Kris Lees-trained gelding to suit his preferred style.

That wasn’t the case last start when Ben Osmond wasn’t able to give the horse the clear air he needed and he just battled into sixth behind Puntin as a $3.40 chance.

“He doesn’t have much change up speed, I like the wide alley for him,’’ he said.

“It means we can take our time. It doesn’t really matter how well he jumps, we can muster forward and be in a rolling spot.

“Hopefully we can lead and roll along but if not he can be in a rolling spot and that can benefit him.”

The combination of an outside barrier and 61.5kg isn’t one Gibbons particularly likes for consistent sprinter Brudenell but he says the Lees stalwart doesn’t know how to run a bad race.

So that leads him to not want to underestimate him in the Schweppes Sprint (1100m) after being run down by In Flight at his last start in the Bob Charley AO six weeks ago.

Estadio Mestalla wins at Rosehill on July 5

“He’s only a smaller horse and I don’t love all the weight he’s giving other horses,’’ said.

“The good thing about him is he jumps and puts himself on speed and he’s tough. While he’s in the good form he is at the minute you can’t discount him.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Rosehill meeting