TEAM Price is banking on an important gear change paving the way for a new season city breakthrough at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Leading Kembla Grange trainers Rob and Luke Price have opted for ear muffs pre-race on their talented three-year-old Smashing Time for the Listed Brian Crowley Stakes (1200m).
The father and son duo has won eight races so far in the early part of the 2024-25 racing year – all at the provincials.
With six city placings (three seconds and as many thirds), Team Price is looking to change that situation at the weekend.
Along with Smashing Time (Tommy Berry) in the Brian Crowley, the stable has both All Machiavellian (Kerrin McEvoy) and Monte Supreme (Berry) in the Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1200m).
Smashing Time resumed with a narrow victory in a Provincial Class 1 Handicap (1200m) at home on October 12, but there was plenty of merit in his performance.
Rival jockey Blake Spriggs took off on Sunrise and established a big break in the small field of five, and Smashing Time had to make up a lot of leeway to run him down as a short-priced favorite.
“He did a terrific job in the circumstances to win,” co-trainer Luke Price said.
“Smashing Time is a highly-strung little fella, and we’ve decided to put the ear muffs on him going to the barrier to help settle him.
“He has had them on before, but not in a race.
“We are extremely happy with how Smashing Time has progressed since the Kembla race.
“It’s been very frustrating not winning in town this season, and hopefully we can break through now.”
Team Price has some thinking to do with the gelding after the Brian Crowley, given he is a Magic Millions purchase who races in the Australian Bloodstock colours.
“Smashing Time has been aimed at this Randwick race, and probably will have a short break afterwards,” Luke Price said.
“There is the $3m Magic Millions 3YO Guineas (1400m) at the Gold Coast on January 11, and also a new $3m slot race (the Magic Millions Sunlight, 1100m) there also for three-year-olds a week earlier.
“It’s not out of the question he could run in both races if we are lucky enough to gain a slot.
“Otherwise, Smashing Time will most likely have a lead-up race to the Guineas toward the end of December.”
Team Price is considering running only Monte Supreme in the Midway at Randwick even though she has drawn the outside in a field of 15.
“All Machiavellian has drawn well in a Benchmark 64 Handicap (1200m) at home on Saturday, and we might go there instead,” Luke Price said.
“He has had two nice trials and is ready to resume.
“Monte Supreme has taken good benefit from two runs back, and wasn’t far away last time when fourth at Hawkesbury.
“She drops considerably in weight and can finish off hard if we get some luck from the wide alley.”
Provincial trainers hold a strong hand in the Midway.
Fellow Kembla Grange trainers Mitch Beer (Los Padres) and Kerry Parker (Let’s Go Again) are represented, along with Hawkesbury’s Mick Attard (Putt For Dough), Newcastle’s Paul Perry (Princess Cruizer), Wyong’s Kim Waugh (Conradand Mogul Monarch) and Kristen Buchanan (Oakfield Triumph), and Gosford’s Adam Duggan (Border Control).
Provincial-Midway Championships Final winner Territory Express has star apprentice Zac Lloyd back aboard for the $1m Five Diamonds Prelude (1500m) at Randwick.
Lloyd partnered the gelding in his brilliant PMC Final victory at Randwick in April, but hasn’t ridden him in three subsequent appearances.
Territory Express was brilliant on resumption when a fast-finishing sixth to Newcastle Group 3 Cameron Handicap winner Here To Shock in the $1.5m Alan Brown Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens on October 12.
He drew the outside in a field of 17 that day and came from 14th at the 400m without the clearest of passages in the straight.
Whilst he has again drawn awkwardly in the Five Diamonds Prelude, four scratchings already have lessened the field to 12, and will relish getting back to Randwick.
Story John Curtis, October 25, 2024
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