Price takes Magic Millions unknowns in his stride

Dedicated Melbourne trainer Mick Price was on hand at the Gold Coast to put his wards through their paces on Jan 7, even if a few question marks hover over their runs this coming Saturday on Jan 11.

Price, who trains in partnership with Michael Kent Jr, has entered four runners at the lucrative The Star Gold Coast Magic Millions Raceday.

As much as their gallops could not have pleased Price more, they could not completely put a pencil through a few pending unknowns.

While Gold Coast Turf Club officials are supremely confident the A$13 million (S$11 million) marquee meeting will be maintained at the Surfers Paradise venue, a last morning test gallop on Jan 9 will be the clincher.

A section of the Gold Coast track was discovered to be damaged last week, forcing the Jan 4 meeting to be transferred to the Sunshine Coast, but emergency remedial works seem to have since patched up the affected area.

Price still kept a guarded optimism about his Queensland prospects, even if the venue was not the only factor not cast in stone.

For example, Space Rider, his entrant in the day’s highlight, the A$3 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1,200m) may miss the run. The son of Zoustar is only a first emergency acceptor.

“There are a few unknowns. One is if they run the races,” said Price.

“I should think if they do go to Eagle Farm (the alternative should the Gold Coast track fail the test), he (Space Rider) also won at Eagle Farm. He’s a big-striding horse and the 1,200m at Eagle Farm would be nice for him.

“But anyway, he’s staying here at the Gold Coast because we wanted to practise a few practice go’s here and they work on that inside grass in the morning, which is tighter again.

“He zipped around there like he’s been here before. So, I think if he does get a run, it’ll be okay for him, but there are a few unknowns.”

Price is doing his best to minimise such imponderables by filling the voids where he can. He has booked the jockey who steered Space Rider at his all-the-way winning debut in that Eagle Farm handicap (1,200m) on Dec 28.

“Chad Schofield has a very good knowledge of our horses. He contributes, he rides work, he rides their trials,” said Price.

“Along the journey, we have a lot of information about that horse, and Chad was part of that: Blinkers on and ride him to be there, and not let him have too big a think about things.

“He’s a nice pleasant colt, but even at four o’clock this morning, he was bouncing around his box like Muhammad Ali looking to do something. I couldn’t wait to work him.

“I thought this horse needs work. He’s absolutely thriving, but we wanted to ride him like that, and I was pleased.

“You never know until the last bit of raceday pressure what they are going to do. He was good, he was excellent.”

On the other hand, four-time winner Hedged is a confirmed starter in the A$1 million Magic Millions Snippets (1,200m), with Ethan Brown replacing Schofield this time.

“Hedged is a good ride. He’s a nice horse,” said Price.

“Even by Chad’s own admission when he drew one the other day (in the Listed Razor Sharp at Randwick on Dec 14), he said ‘hold my ground and put my foot on the accelerator a little bit, bang, he took off’ – and that is Hedged.

“You’ve got to have a good pair of hands on him and let him feed into the race. If we get a good ride, we’ll get a good result.

“He’s a very big strong sound horse, has plenty of upsides. He’ll train on no worries.”

The cautious card was back on the table in the A$1 million Magic Millions Fillies & Mares (1,300m).

Price fielded two entries Miss Roumbini and Charm Stone, but also entered I Am Invincible mare Charm Stone in the A$2 million Magic Millions Cup (1,400m).

The barrier would swing which way the three-time winner would go, but when she drew two in both races, Price hedged his bets. He opted for one runner in each, Miss Roumbini in the Fillies & Mares and Charm Stone in the Cup.

“Miss Roumbini will only run in the Fillies & Mares with Ethan Brown on,” he said.

“We accepted Charm Stone in two, in the 1,400m race where I think she’s well handicapped, and also the Fillies & Mares.

“It gave us all an option if she drew poorly in one and we can make a choice. I think they (owners) were favouring to run in the Fillies & Mares, but either race, I think she’ll run very well.

“She drew two in both, so we picked the 1,400m race, and Damian Lane will ride her.

“At her two 1,400m races, the Golden Rose as a three-year-old she was unlucky, and in the Group 1 Caulfield handicap (Sir Rupert Clarke), she just looked at backsides the whole race.

“I have a lot of faith in that mare, but she’s a big long-striding mare. She’s not a little nippy thing, she needs a bit of room and you’ll see the best of her.”

manyan@sph.com.sg