KEMBLA WINNER’S STARTING PRICE THE ONLY SURPRISE

“I thought she had lost a leg!”

That was co-trainer Luke Price’s reaction to lightly-raced filly Aisle Two’s breakthrough victory at her home track at Kembla Grange today.

“The win wasn’t a surprise because we were confident she would run well,” Price said this afternoon.

“But her odds certainly were.”

Despite placings at her first two runs this preparation, Aisle Two, aided by a superb Brock Ryan ride, was a $31 outsider when she bolted away with the Super Maiden Plate (1300m).

Ryan got the three-year-old daughter of Shooting Win across from a wide alley in the field of nine to sit behind the two leaders, then let down with a brilliant burst when pulled around them after straightening.

Aisle Two, the third foal of unraced mare Think I’ll Keeper, scored by nearly three lengths from Saloon Passage ($12), with Superata ($7.50) third.

“Aisle Two is raced by new clients to our stable, and it was great to get a result for them,” Luke Price said.

“She ran so well on debut in a very strong 2YO Maiden here in April when fifth to Akaysha (since been placed four times at metropolitan meetings) and Beadman (luckless runner-up at Rosehill Gardens last Saturday).

“We took her to Wagga on May 1 for a 2YO Handicap (1200m) at the Cup carnival, and I left with my tail between my legs when she was unplaced.

“However she has come back well as an early three-year-old, and her two runs at Kembla Grange last month (over 1000m and 1200m) were good efforts when beaten only a half-length and length respectively.

“I couldn’t believe the price she was today. I thought she had lost a leg.

“On that performance she looks to have a nice future.”

Leading Kembla Grange trainers, father and son Rob and Luke Price, haven’t given up this campaign on their 2024 Group 1 Queensland Oaks runner-up Our Gold Hope, who is yet to win in four starts.

The four-year-old mare ran 10^th to Lindermann in last Saturday’s $2m Group 2 wfa Hill Stakes (1900m) at Rosehill Gardens.

“The speed killed us,” Luke Price said. ‘Our Gold Hope got well back and it was impossible to win from there, but she ran her last 600m in 33.47 seconds.

“We will go next to the Group 3 Rosehill Gold Cup (2000m) at Royal Randwick in three weeks (November 1), and that will suit her.

“Then she will be freshened for a shot at The Gong (1600m) at our Saturday metropolitan meeting on November 22.”

Team Price won the 2021 edition of the $1m The Gong with ill-fated Count De Rupee (Brock Ryan).

Mitch Beer and George Carpenter, who also train in partnership at Kembla Grange, were successful in the closer, the Benchmark 64 Handicap (1400m) with $3.80 favorite Apollo Mission (apprentice Mitch Stapleford), and Hawkesbury’s Ed Cummings won the opener, the Provincial Class 1 Handicap (1200m) with Nantucket Island ($9), ridden by Lee Magorrian.

Gosford trainer Greg McFarlane very nearly got an outright victory at today’s Scone with $101 rank outsider Miss Orth in a race which was almost a triple dead-heat.

Miss Orth (Andrew Adkins) burst through late to share the honours with $1.30 hotpot Favour The Bold in the Maiden Plate (1000m), and Haras ($4.40), who made the running, was centimetres away third.

Newcastle jockey Ash Morgan followed up his Rosehill double last Saturday with another double at Scone.

He scored on his weekend Group 2 winner Hidden Motive’s stablemate Inception ($3.50) for Newcastle trainer Nathan Doyle in the Class 1/Maiden Plate (1600m) before snatching a last gasp victory on Where’stheprofit ($2.80 favorite) in the closer, the Country Boosted Class 3 Handicap (1200m).

Leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees’ Adelaide River will gallop at Flemington in the morning, with race jockey Jordan Childs aboard, in preparation for Saturday’s $5m Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m).

Story John Curtis, October 13, 2025 - Pics Bradley Photos