ROSEHILL GIVES KEMBLA PAIR CHANCE TO SHOW THEIR WARES

TALENTED Kembla Grange pair Flying Bandit (above) and Our Gold Hope will get the

chance to show their wares at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday – a week later than their trainers had planned.

Both Kerry Parker (Flying Bandit) and Rob and Luke Price (Our Gold Hope) had their gelding and mare respectively set for the Group 3 Kingston Town Stakes (2000m) at Royal Randwick last Saturday as important parts of their spring campaigns.

Unfortunately, the pair was made emergencies and did not secure starts.

Thus Flying Bandit will line up in the Benchmark 88 Handicap (1900m), and Our Gold Hope will tackle the shorter Group 2 Shannon Stakes (1500m).

Parker opted for Sydney’s champion apprentice Braith Nock to reduce Flying Bandit’s impost by 2kg to 60.5kg, and Tyler Schiller rides Our Gold Hope (53kg).

Parker understandably was disappointed when Wagga Cup winner Flying Bandit, who caught the eye on resumption when a late finishing sixth to Shohisha over 1600m at Randwick on September 6, missed out on the Kingston Town as his lead-up to next Saturday’s Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m) there.

“I threw my hands in the air, but have had a rethink,” he said this morning.

“Flying Bandit is in great order, and if he runs well on Saturday, can back up in The Metropolitan (where he has 50kg). I’ve been really wanting to get him out over a distance.”

Co-trainer Luke Price says last year’s Group 1 Queensland Oaks runner-up Our Gold Hope hasn’t raced for a month (third to Estadio Mestalla in a Benchmark 100 Handicap, 1500m) at Rosehill on August 30) as a result of missing the Kingston Town.

“Really happy with Our Gold Hope, but we’ve had to stay at 1500m,” Price said.

“She is in the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Randwick next week, but it would need a lot of rain Sunday and Monday for us to accept on Tuesday morning, and that’s not likely to happen. The Hill Stakes remains our immediate goal with the mare.”

The $2m Group 2 Hill (1900m), at weight-for-age, will be run at Rosehill on October 11.

Whilst Parker, who has had regular runners over the last month or so in Saturday Midway Handicaps in town, is taking a break this time, such is not the case with Team Price.

The leading Kembla Grange trainers’ representative is Mogwai in the Midway Benchmark 72

(1300m).

Tommy Berry rides the former Godolphin gelding, on whom he finished a close second to Denman Star in a similar race over 1400m at Randwick three weeks ago.

“Mogwai is well and we’re looking forward to a repeat performance, and hopefully going one better,” Price said.

A five-year-old by Epaulette, Mogwai also was placed over 1500m at Rosehill in January in a

Benchmark 78 Handicap.

Story by John Curtis, 25 September 2025. Photo by Bradley Photos