TEAM PRICE TAKES OVER RETIRING McCONVILLE’S HORSES
KEMBLA Grange trainers Rob and Luke Price have added to their team following the retirement of fellow trainer Ross McConville.
And they will have their first McConville runners at Canterbury’s opening night season meeting tomorrow night and Newcastle’s feature The Hunter metropolitan stand-alone fixture on Saturday.
Donwon (Alysha Collett) lines up at Canterbury in the Benchmark 78 Handicap (1100m), and C’mon Flyer (Tyler Schiller) goes to Newcastle for the Trans-Tasman Trophy Benchmark 88 Handicap (1850m).
McConville began training following the death of his partner, legendary Kembla Grange trainer Gwenda Markwell, in October 2022, and was successful with his first runner Nautical Miss at Royal Randwick a few days later on November 1.
He prepared 45 winners; the latest C’mon Flyer at Newcastle on October 31.
“Ross has been thinking about retirement for some time, and we are delighted that he has asked us to train his horses,” Luke Price said this morning.
“There are some nice horses in form, and some younger ones.
“We have always got on well with Ross, and also his foreman Nigel who has joined our team.
“Initially we were going to keep C’mon Flyer for The Gong meeting at home on Saturday week, but kept an eye on the nominations for the Newcastle race, and there weren’t a lot.
“In the end we decided in favour of Newcastle.
“We were a bit concerned about the 2000m at home, and C’mon Flyer is unbeaten from two starts at Newcastle.
“It’s a stronger race, but obviously he likes Newcastle and is in good form.”
A four-year-old by Trapeze Artist, C’mon Flyer’s two career wins from his 10 starts have been at Broadmeadow.
He was successful in a Midway Maiden Handicap (1890m) on April 11, and then a Benchmark 64 Handicap (1900m) on October 31 at his last start.
Chad Lever rode the gelding in both victories.
Along with Donwon – a winner at Canterbury in August for Alysha Collett – Team Price also take Satness, Me Me and Monte Veebee to the Canterbury meeting.
Satness (Tommy Berry) and Me Me (Tyler Schiller) both contest the Benchmark 72 Handicap (1550m) for five-year-olds and upwards, and James McDonald partners Monte Veebee in the Evening Star Benchmark 72 Handicap (1250m).
Satness ($4.60) and Me Me ($4.20) are well in the market in an open race, and Montee Veebee is a $1.80 favorite.
“We rarely get the chance to book J-Mac, and Monte Veebeehas drawn the rails,” Luke Price said.
“He has been well ridden at his last two starts when fourth at Rosehill Gardens and fifth at Royal Randwick.
“Hopefully J-Mac can produce one of his magic rides and get him back in the winning list (he has been placed five times since scoring at Newcastle in January in a 1250m Benchmark 68 Handicap).
STORY JOHN CURTIS, NOVEMBER 12, 2026 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS
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