LUKE Price says he can still remember the day he and his father Rob purchased Cuban Royale as a yearling.
“He was bred by the Meadows family, and we paid $34,000 for him (Casino Prince from Cuban Girl, who was retired from breeding in July) at the 2016 Inglis Classic sale, and they stayed in him,” Price, who trains in partnership with his father Rob at Kembla Grange, said on Monday morning.
“He was at the farm to begin with, and then moved up to Kembla Grange when we got stables there.
“The old fella took nine starts to win a race, but he has been a marvellous performer for our team and his owners and has been sound all the way through.
“He has been in stable No 6 all the time, and has been our eldest daughter’s favorite horse and still is.
“It was emotional seeing him race for the last time at The Gong meeting last Saturday, and of course it will be sad when he leaves the stable on Tuesday.
“Cuban Royale still has that zest for racing, but has done a terrific job and we didn’t want to go too far.
“We’ll just have to find another good one like him.”
From 82 starts, the now 10-year-old gelding Cuban Royale won 10 races and was placed on 17 occasions, and earned nearly $850,000.
He began his career on Newcastle’s Beaumont track on March 11, 2017 and ran 11th of 12 in a 2YO Maiden Plate (1150m) at $41.
His breakthrough victory came 13 months later at home in a 1300m Maiden Handicap, ridden by Scott Pollard.
Cuban Royale won at least one race as a four, five, six and eight-year-old – and was the latter age when he snared a Listed success in the Carrington Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick on January 21 last year as a $14 chance.
He was twice placed in Group 3 company in 2023; third in the Newcastle Stakes (1400m) and second in the Bill Ritchie Handicap (1400m) at Randwick.
Luke Price says Cuban Royale showed he still maintains a zest for racing, jumping out quickly and sitting second outside the leader Luvoir when eighth in the Benchmark 88 Handicap (1600m) at his Kembla Grange swansong last Saturday.
“We rolled the dice last Saturday and rode him upside down from a wide draw, but unfortunately he overraced and the 1600m on the firm track found him out at the end.
“Cuban Royale initially will go to the Meadows family’s lovely property at Jamberoo Mountain.
“He’s a revhead with a few little quirks, and needs to do something.
“We’re looking for the right person to look after him now that his racing days are over.”
Whilst Cuban Royale didn’t go out a winner, Team Price didn’t miss out at their home track’s biggest raceday, landing the F&M Benchmark 78 Handicap (1200m) with Monte Kate, raced by former trainer Vic Bates and his wife Yvonne.
Whilst it wasn’t a feature race, the four-year-old mare’s victory carried extra significance.
“Vic and Yvonne have been fantastic supporters of our stable, and put a lot of money into racing buying horses,” Luke Price said.
“That was their first Saturday metropolitan winner, and it was great to achieve it at home on our biggest day.
“I think we might stop now with Monte Kate.
“She is a beautifully-bred mare (by I Am Invincible out of Queensland Oaks runner-up Arabian Gold) and has a lot of ability.
“Monte Kate is definitely better on wet tracks, and the fact that she won on a firm surface is testament to her.
“It might be best to pull up stumps now and look to the autumn.”
HOOFNOTE: When Cuban Royale leaves the stable for the last time on Tuesday, he will have important company.
“We have a two-year-old three-quarter sister (by Magnus) to him,” Luke Price said.
“She hasn’t been named as yet, and is going back to the Meadows family property with Cuban Royale for a spell.”
This filly of course has a long road to hoe to live up to big brother’s deeds. But racing is such a funny game that you never know!
Story John Curtis, November 25, 2024 - Pics Bradley Photos
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