MARE’S RIPPING WIN AT HOME ON DEBUT

IT was a “ripping” performance!

There’s really no other way to describe Miss Hvar’s $51 debut triumph on her home track at Kembla Grange yesterday.

Father and son training duo Rob and Luke Price brought off one of their finest achievements to score with a rising five-year-old mare who had never been to the races since her first barrier trial back in November 2023.

Ridden by Brodie Loy, Miss Hvar, after being momentarily held up in the early part of the straight, surged late to snare the Provincial Maiden Handicap (1300m) in the closest of finishes, grabbing another $51 roughie, Wyong trainer Daniel Robinson’s Kuwait, on the line.

The pair edged out Hawkesbury pair, Brad Widdup’s $1.75 favorite West Head (third) and Jason Attard’s $20 chance Washik, with only a half-length separating the first four horses.

An $80,000 New Zealand purchase at Book 1 of the 2022 Karaka yearling sale, the daughter of Cox Plate winner Ocean Park and three times winner Makarska is raced by a Mad About Racing syndicate, who have certainly had to wait to see their mare make it to the track.

“Miss Hvar ripped muscles from her hamstring,” co-trainer Luke Price explained.

“We’re not sure exactly when it happened, but it may have started when she had her first trial at Warwick Farm (November 8, 2023) as a three-year-old.

“When she ran last at her next trial at home in February the following year, we obviously knew something was wrong.

“The scintigraphy scan revealed what was a pretty serious injury, and the only cure was time.

“Miss Hvar didn’t trial again until March 24 this year at home.”

The mare contested another 800m Kembla trial on April 8 before Team Price elected to begin her career, also at home, yesterday.

“I didn’t think Miss Hvar could win, but she had shown improvement following her trials and with her work, and her gallop on Tuesday was enough to feel she could be competitive at her first start,” Luke Price said.

“It was a terrific result for her owners, given they have had to be so patient for the mare to finally get to the races.

“I’m sure she will be even better at 1600m.”

Price recalled yesterday’s heart-stopping finish was similar to another at the feature The Gong meeting at Kembla Grange in November 2022 when their now retired Cuban Royale at $31 nosed out Mad About Racing’s David Pfieffer-trained Broken Arrows ($17) in a Benchmark 78 Handicap (1200m).

“We’ve always had a horse for Mad About Racing’s Shane Duff, and he was wildly celebrating that day thinking Broken Arrows had won,” Price explained.

“Thankfully, he and his fellow owners could celebrate properly this time when the result went the right way.”

Meanwhile, the Price boys have called a halt with their talented four-year-old mare Our Gold Hope’s frustrating six-start autumn campaign.

“Our Gold Hope relished he heavy track when the closest of thirds to Ceolwulf in the Group 2 Neville Sellwood Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill Gardens on April 1, but then needed the rain to come when she drew awkwardly and ran ninth in the Group 1 Queen Of the Turf Stakes (1600m) at Randwick 11 days later,” Luke Price said.

“She has gone to the paddock, and we’ll look forward to a good spring with her.”

Our Gold Hope ($16) was narrowly beaten by $101 bolter Socks Nation in the Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) at Eagle Farm in Jun last year at the end of her three-year-old campaign.

. HOOFNOTE: Fellow Kembla Grange trainer Mitch Beer also was successful at his home track program.

Beer claimed a career 260th winner, and 22nd this season, when Los Padres ($13), ridden by apprentice Holly Durnan, took the Gallipoli Cup Benchmark 64 Handicap (1200m).

Story John Curis, April 20, 2025