3 minute read

There are a few Group 1 nominations alongside the name of Our Gold Hope but co-trainer Luke Price has his eyes on a home track feature for the promising filly.

The three-year-old takes an important step toward the Group 3 Kembla Grange Classic in a couple of weeks when she tackles the Ghaiyyath First Yearlings Handicap (1500m) at Rosehill on Wednesday.

While she is among the entries for this weekend's Group 1 Surround Stakes, Price said asking her to take a smaller rise in class on her second-up Hawkesbury win was a better path.

"We're hoping it can all come together,'' Price said.

"The Surround was something we thought we better nominate for just in case but it was never a target race because I don't think we'll see her at her best until she gets to a mile.

"We go to the races confident she runs a really good race. But she's going to be a really nice four-year-old mare at the back end of this year."

Our Gold Hope, $10 with TAB on Tuesday, has won two of her four starts for Robert and Luke Price and particularly impressed the stable with how she accounted for her rivals second-up.

And Price said it's encouraging to see the form prove to be strong with both runner-up Countyourblessings and third placed The Crimson Idol winning at their next starts.

"We've got a good opinion of the filly and I went to the races at Hawkesbury knowing John's horse (Countyourblessings) would be hard to beat but I was also quite confident,'' he said.

"To see the form franked is always a good feeling.

"She's not very big but has a crazy turn of foot.

"She's still learning her trade, she did a lot of things wrong the other day at Hawkesbury but the form held up. Now we've got to step up, and we hope she steps up."

The Group 3 $250,000 Kembla Grange Classic (1600m) is run on March 15.

Price is confident Satness can find his best form in the Sharp EIT Solutions Handicap (1400m) though he admits the gelding has raced below par in three starts this time in.

He hasn't been his usual competitive self in two runs at 1600m in Midway grade at Randwick and Price said coming back in trip at this stage is probably in his favour.

"I think the horse is going well, the form doesn't read that way,'' he said.

"He takes a bit of racing and I probably was a bit soft on him his first two runs. I went to a mile too quickly."

Satness, while he's only won four from 40, had been known last preparation for his consistency and never-say-die attitude that saw him win three races and place behind the likes of Strait Acer and Felix Majestic.

He hasn't quite shown the same fight as yet in 2024 but Price said there may have been excuses for his last start eighth behind Invincible Legend.

"He got stuck in the slow lane at Randwick and it was probably worth two lengths being out in the middle, and he was only beaten two lengths,'' he said.

"It was a real good gallop by him on Saturday and I think he can run up to his best."