QUEENSLAND Oaks runner-up Our Gold Hope won’t be seen this spring.
Trainer Luke Price has announced their star three-year-old filly is spelling and won’t be seen in action again until autumn.
Our Gold Hope went close to providing leading Kembla Grange trainers, father and son Rob and Luke Price, with a maiden Group 1 triumph in the Queensland Oaks (2200m) at Eagle Farm on June 8.
A $16 chance and ridden by Craig Williams, she was just edged out by $101 bolter Socks Nation.
She was also runner-up in the Group 3 Kembla Grange Classic (1600m) in March, and third against the “boys” in the Group 3 Frank Packer Plate (2000m) at Royal Randwick in April.
Team Price had hoped to give the rising four-year-old mare a light spring campaign, culminating with their home track $1m The Gong (1600m) on November 23, which they won with the ill-fated Count De Rupee in 2021.
However, Our Gold Hope sustained an injury in the Oaks and it has been decided to give her a good spell.
“The injury isn’t serious, but having nearly given us our maiden Group 1, she is too good to take risks with,” Luke Price said.
“We’re forgetting about the spring, and look forward to having her back in the new year.”
Our Gold Hope, a daughter of Lope De Vega, fetched $180,000 as a 2022 Inglis Australian Easter yearling sale graduate, and races in the same colours for the Noble family as Count De Rupee.
Whilst the spring is out for Our Gold Hope, stablemate Smashing Time has just returned to the stable after contesting both two-year-old features – the Group 2 Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) and Group 1 JJ Atkins (1600m) – at Eagle Farm in June during the winter carnival.
“Smashing Time had some time out after Brisbane, and having won only the one race so far from five starts, there are plenty of options with him,” Luke Price said.
“Being a Magic Millions yearling, we could look at going back to the Gold Coast (where he was stabled during his recent campaign) for that carnival in January.”
Team Price has won both the local Trainers’ premiership and All Trainers’ premiership for a second season running.
Illawarra Turf Club racing manager Zane Campbell has issued the final results for the 2023-24 racing year, along with the Price boys also winning the Horse Of The Year award with Headstock, following on from stablemate Satness’ success last year.
Keagan Latham was the leading Kembla Grange jockey, and Zac Lloyd the leading apprentice.
Fellow Kembla Grange trainer Mitch Beer ventured back to his old stamping ground at Albury on Monday to win the Class 1 Handicap (1175m) with $2.20 favorite Vegas Dream (Nick Souquet).
He had earlier finished second and third with Magnolia Star ($7.50) and Persister ($3.70) in the Maiden Plate (900m).
. Newcastle trainers John Bannister and Kris Lees were successful at Monday’s rescheduled Muswellbrook meeting, originally to have been held on Sunday.
Bannister took the Bengalla Cup (1280m) with $3.60 favorite Touch Of Navy (Reece Jones), and Lees’ So Newchee Thinks ($1.55 favorite) won the Maiden Plate (1750m) for Andrew Gibbons.
Final results for the 2023-24 Illawarra Turf Club premierships and Horse Of The Year award are:
ALL TRAINERS (3, 2 and 1 points system)
R. & L. Price 143
C. Waller 73
J. Cummings 70
P. & P. Snowden 65
C. Maher 56
B. Widdup 56
KEMBLA GRANGE TRAINERS (local wins)
R. & L. Price 25
K. Parker 8
B. Smith 7
R. McConville 4
M. Beer 4
T. Bateup 2
JOCKEYS (3, 2 and 1 points system)
K. Latham 98
A. Collett 73
J. Van Overmeire 67
G. Buckley 66
T. Schiller 65
APPRENTICES (3, 2 and 1 points system)
Z. Lloyd 39
O. Chambers 29
Z. Wadick 29
M. Bourke 24
HORSE OF THE YEAR (8, 5, 3 and 2 points system)
Headstock 34
Bully For You 29
Herb 27
Spirit Of Varanasi 26
All Machiavellin 26
Story John Curtis, July 29, 2024 - Pics Bradley Photos
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