MORGAN BACK ON COOLMORE CLASSIC “HOPE”

ASH Morgan will be reunited with Our Gold Hope for the classy Kembla Grange mare’s crucial assignment at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

Private Harry’s jockey will partner last year’s Queensland Oaks runner-up in the Group 2 Millie Fox Stakes (1300m) against her own sex.

Morgan was Our Gold Hope’s rider at her first three starts, including a debut Midway Maiden Plate (1200m) victory in October, 2023.

“We’re pleased to have Ash back on the mare,” Luke Price, who jointly trains with his father Rob, said.

“He is riding in great form, and cementing his place in town on Saturdays.

“Saturday’s race is very important as we would like to have a crack at the Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill on March 15 with her,

“She needs to run well on Saturday to get her benchmark rating up.”

The $1m Coolmore Classic for fillies and mares carries a $1m purse, and was won last year by Espiona (benchmark rating 98) from Pride Of Jenni (then 90 and of course much higher now) and Sheeza Belter (102).

In fact, Pride Of Jenni had the lowest benchmark rating of any runner in the field, and Our Gold Hope’s rating is also currently 90.

A four-year-old daughter of Lope De Vega, Our Gold Hope has won two races and been placed five times from only 11 starts.

However, those placings include tremendous performances in a number of feature races last season as a three-year-old.

Our Gold Hope was runner-up in the Group 3 Kembla Grange Classic (1600m) last March, and also was narrowly beaten by Socks Nation in the Group 1 Oaks (2200m) at Eagle Farm in June.

Before heading north, she also finished a close third against the “boys” in the Group 3 Frank Packer Plate (2000m) at Royal Randwick in April.

Our Gold Hope has taken nice improvement from her first-up eighth (beaten just over three lengths) to Willaidow in the Group 3 Southern Cross Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on February 1.

That was her first start since her gallant Queensland Oaks performance.

Whilst Team Price had to settle for the runner-up stall with Our Gold Hope in their home track Classic last year, they are hoping to go one better this time.

Promising lightly-raced three-year-old filly Island Dec is being readied for the $250,000 set weights and penalties event on March 14.

Island Dec, a daughter of Kermadec, resumed with an impressive victory in a Benchmark 64 Handicap (1250m) at Canterbury last Friday night.

“She did a terrific job under 60kg to win after being held up for clear running in the straight and having to change course before finishing over the top of them,” Luke Price said.

“We will have to run Island Dec again before the Kembla Grange Classic, and she’ll go to the Group 1 Surround Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday week.

“No doubt the top fillies will be lining up in the Surround, and that will give us a good guide as to where we are at with her.

“She has won three of her only five starts and is very promising.”

. Last start Randwick winner Dark Glittier is the other provincial representative in Saturday’s Millie Fox.

Hawkesbury trainer Mike Van Gestel has booked Reece Jones for the mare, who is racing in career best form.

Jones hasn’t ridden Dark Glitter in a race previously, but partnered her in her first barrier trial at Hawkesbury in December, 2023.

Story John Curtis, February 20, 2025 - Pics Bradley Photos