Price is right for last visit
Ex-jockey hoping for ‘like father, like son’ feat between two ‘last’ S’pore Gold Cups
Simon Price did not need too much arm-twisting to book his air ticket to Singapore – and more pointedly, his ticket to its last race meeting ever on Oct 5.
The former jockey, 54, is in town to support his son Will, who will be aboard one of the 16 horses in the $1.38 million Group 1 Grand Singapore Gold Cup (2,000m), Makin.
But there is also another gilt-edged reason why he decided it was time to revisit what was his old stomping ground until 2004.
It is a bold bid at carving a slice of history in Singapore racing for a Price family heirloom that their grandchildren will pass down to the next generations to come.
Simon was the winning rider of the last Singapore Gold Cup at Bukit Timah in 1998 before racing moved to Kranji. Then only 28, the Adelaide hoop rode the Malcolm Thwaites-trained Three Crowns for dear life to hold off Big Splendour (V. Sivan).
Some 26 years later, his son will try and follow in his footsteps by snagging the last Singapore Gold Cup in the 182-year-long history of local horse racing.
Before he left for Singapore on Sept 26, Will, 24, kept an open mind about his Gold Cup prospects, just aware that 49-50kg jockeys like himself are a rare commodity.
He was then not even sure if his dad would fly up, but when he landed the plum ride on Makin, he knew he had to chew his ears off.
“I always get my way,” he quipped as father and son walked around Kranji on Oct 3.
As a slightly more portly Simon scanned the track and its surroundings, he struggled to grapple with a stroll down memory lane to a place that will soon go under.
“I’ve been in two minds about coming. I still have a jockey’s licence, but I ride mostly trackwork,” said Simon, whose last race ride was in Musswellbrook in 2021.
“But I’m busier with my landscaping job. Today, I did bump into the jockey’s valet Dass Anthony, who is still around after all these years, and now looks after Will.
“The place hasn’t changed much, but it’ll be sad to see it all finish up.”
Second once at his first five rides on Sept 28, Will takes eight rides on Oct 5, with Makin his focus – and a hard act to follow.
“Makin’s drawn 16, but as he’s suspect at the trip, I can drop back and ride him quiet,” he said.
“It’d be awesome if I can make history like dad did.”
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