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Local trainers plotting Gong upset

3 minute read

Luke Price has warned punters not to disregard local gelding Cuban Royale in The Gong.

CUBAN ROYALE.
CUBAN ROYALE. Picture: Martin King / Sportpix

It might be a relatively recent addition to the calendar, but The Gong is a race close to the hearts of local horsemen Robert and Luke Price. 

Count De Rupee gave the Kembla Grange trainers their biggest win when he took out the 2021 renewal, atoning for a narrow defeat at the hands of I'm Thunderstruck in the Golden Eagle

On Saturday, the father and son team saddle up Cuban Royale and while the gelding comes into the race as one of the outsiders, Luke Price is bullish he will perform much better than his $61 quote suggests. 

"It was our career highlight so far with Count De Rupee winning two years back," Luke Price said. 

"It was a bit different then, Count De Rupee was favourite and expected to win it. 

"I went into the race extremely confident, but I'm going into this race pretty confident the horse is going to run well with no pressure on him. 

"They were betting 100-1 early days and I've had something on him at the 100s. It's the best 100-1 shot I'll produce for a while." 

Cuban Royale has always been a handy campaigner for the stable, but it was 12 months ago that he seriously blossomed, winning three of his four starts between November and January, highlighted by the Listed Carrington Stakes (1400m). 

The $1 million The Gong (1600m) has been on his radar from the start of his current preparation, which has included a second to subsequent Epsom Handicap winner Rediener in the Bill Ritchie Quality (1400m). 

"He's been set for the race all the way through, and we were looking like we were well and truly on track with his second in the Bill Ritchie," Price said. 

"Then just circumstances - bad luck, bad barriers, the way tracks have raced - I honestly thought he could win the other day at Hawkesbury (in the Ladies Day Cup) until the rain hit halfway through the day and spoiled his party. 

"I know the horse is going really well and I think he'll be in the race up to his ears." 

Cuban Royale will carry the hopes of the locals as the only Kembla Grange-trained runner in Saturday's feature. 

He has drawn barrier 13, the same gate Count De Rupee won from, and like his former stablemate, he will be partnered by Brock Ryan

The Prices' will also be represented at the meeting by Victory Lane and All Machiavellian in the Midway Handicap (1400m), and Rebel Dean in the Elite Sand & Soil Handicap (1000m) and Luke Price can make cases for them all. 

"We've got four good chances on a day we want to showcase," he said. 


Racing and Sports

Kembla Grange

Saturday, 25th November 2023

7
16:00
(local)

THE ILLAWARRA MERCURY GONG

Age: 3yo and up WT: 52.0kg Type: Qlty
AUD $1,000,000
1600m TURF HEAVY
7
16:00
(local)
AUD $1,000,000
1600m HEAVY

THE ILLAWARRA MERCURY GONG

Age: 3yo and up WT: 52.0kg Type: Qlty


FP Silk Horse, Age & Sex
Sire & Dam
Jockey
Trainer
SP
WT
1st 9. DETONATOR JACK (NZ) 5yo G
JAKKALBERRY (IRE) - RED DELICIOUS (NZ)
JASON COLLETT
CIARON MAHER & DAVID EUSTACE
$4.6
56kg
Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock P/L (Mgr: D Dance), R Menchise, G Ferguson, Ms G Peirson-Jones, M Eastmure, G Sheehan, Brittain Racing, Jaybeeque Racing, A Brown, B Devlin, P Lynch, Mrs A Lynch, K Heffernan, D Spicer, K Thompson, W Johnstone, Mrs B Johnstone, P Gallivan, M Howard & M Hunt

Sales Information

2nd 18. LOCH EAGLE (AUS) 5yo G
LONHRO (AUS) - SONG STREET (IRE)
REECE JONES
KRIS LEES
$5.5
52kg
B Perry, L Petagna, M J Chittick, Ms N J Wilson, D J Wilson, Rosemont Stud Pty Ltd (Mgr: A P Mithen), Jomara Bloodstock Ltd (Mgr: M P Carter), Jamieson Park (Mgr: J M Chapman), G Clarke & G J Chittick

Sales Information

3rd 3. OSIPENKO (NZ) 4yo H
PIERRO (AUS) - RASKOVA (USA)
JAMES MCDONALD
CHRIS WALLER
$4
58.5kg
C J Waller, I Bruce, F W Cook, Mrs C M Cook, P Y W Ng, Mrs R B McLaren, R J Shrimpton, N Lillie, Mrs J Lillie, S Triplett

Sales Information

4th 2. NEW MANDATE (IRE) 5yo G
NEW BAY (GB) - MISHHAR (IRE)
JOSH PARR
CHRIS WALLER
$26
58.5kg

Sales Information

5th 11. WATERFORD (IRE) 4yo G
AWTAAD (IRE) - WAKE UP (GER)
REGAN BAYLISS
CHRIS WALLER
$9
54.5kg

Sales Information

6th 16. CUBAN ROYALE (AUS) 9yo G
CASINO PRINCE (AUS) - CUBAN GIRL (AUS)
BROCK RYAN
R & L PRICE
$26
52kg

Sales Information

7th 7. PALMETTO (NZ) 5yo G
GHIBELLINES (AUS) - CAROLINA ISLAND (NZ)
KOBY JENNINGS
J G SARGENT
$19
57kg

Sales Information

8th 15. WICKLOW (IRE) 5yo G
TWILIGHT SON (GB) - WAKE UP (GER)
JAY FORD
CHRIS WALLER
$21
52.5kg

Sales Information

9th 8. COMMUNIST (AUS) 4yo G
RUSSIAN REVOLUTION (AUS) - CAPPADOCIA (AUS)
RACHEL KING
MICHAEL FREEDMAN
$12
56.5kg

Sales Information

10th 5. SKYMAN (GB) 7yo G
MUKHADRAM (GB) - SKYRIDER (IRE)
TOM SHERRY
CHRIS WALLER
$41
58kg

Sales Information

11th 4. SURF DANCER (IRE) 6yo G
LOPE DE VEGA (IRE) - BEACH BELLE (GB)
TIM CLARK
G WATERHOUSE & A BOTT
$15
58.5kg

Sales Information

12th 14. ART CADEAU (AUS) 7yo G
ARTIE SCHILLER (USA) - JEWELLED GATE (AUS)
JETT STANLEY
TERRY ROBINSON
$41
52.5kg
13th 12. WILD PLANET (AUS) 8yo G
ANIMAL KINGDOM (USA) - SALUTATIONS (AUS)
TYLER SCHILLER
M, W & J HAWKES
$26
54kg

Sales Information

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