PRICE BOYS’ SEASON ALREADY “SUPREME”

JUST because they have trained 21 winners already this season, it wouldn’t be fair at all to suggest Rob and Luke Price have “come of age” as a training partnership!

After all, the Kembla Grange father and son team have already won their home track’s biggest race (the $1m The Gong with ill-fated Count De Rupee in 2021) and a pair of Group 2s (one of them the $1m Percy Sykes Stakes at The Championships at Randwick that year) with the classy now retired mare Jamaea.

But a debut victory at Hawkesbury last Sunday with three-year-old Monte Supreme, an I Am Invincible filly who fetched $800,000 as a yearling, meant their tally of 21 in little more than the first four months of the current racing year is only 10 short of their number of overall winners the previous season.

Such is the stable’s progress – and it’s showing no signs of stopping either.

“It was a tough season last year losing both Count De Rupee (who died after a freakish track accident 16 months ago) and then retiring Jamaea toward the end of the season,” Luke Price reflected today.

“But we’ve put together a really nice team of young horses. We have been patient with them, and it’s beginning to pay rewards.

“The aim now is to keep that success ongoing.”

Patience has indeed been the byword with Monte Supreme. Owners Vic and Yvonne Bates name their horses with the prefix “Monte”, and outlaid $800,000 for her at last year’s Inglis Australian Easter yearling sale, but didn’t try to recoup any of that as a two-year-old.

“We had to be patient,” Luke Price said. “Her frame an athleticism stood out when we selected her.

“She was a neat filly then, but got bigger so we didn’t rush her.

“Monte Supreme is a quality filly and there’s loads more to come.

“She has done well since Hawkesbury, but there’s nothing locked in yet for her next run.”

The Price boys, along with Coffs Harbour’s Noel Mayfield-Smith (who relocated from Hawkesbury in 2021) prepare the Bates’ horses.

“We’ve got eight at present at Kembla,” Luke Price said.

“Vic trained for quite a while, and he pre-trains and looks after their horses at their Luddenham property.”

After four trials (two in June and another two last month), the Price boys chose a 1000m Provincial Maiden Handicap at Hawkesbury for Monte Supreme to kick off her racing career.

Not even the outside barrier in a field of 11 could stop her. With Grant Buckley aboard, she overcame that to be first home, returning $26,625 on her huge outlay.

Whilst Monte Supreme was sold at Easter last year, Vic and Yvonne Bates paid even more at this year’s sale, forking out $900,000 for a Snitzel colt, who is the first foal of the I Am Invincible mare and four-times winner Snogging.

The now two-year-old will race as Monte Veebee under the Price banner.

HOOFNOTE: Team Price has decided against chasing their first interstate win of the season with another debutante at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

The beautifully named Glitterscript (Written By – Sparkle) was sold on the “glitter strip” at the Gold Coast Magic Millions yearling sale earlier this year for $60,000.

She was nominated for the Listed Calaway Gal (1000m) for two-year-old fillies, but instead is likely to contest a 2YO Maiden Handicap over the same distance on her home track on Saturday.

*Story John Curtis, December 5, 2023 - Pics supplied*