Price hits the highway for Randwick again

Wednesday 13 January 2016, 4:54pm

No-one has embraced the Highway Handicaps for country-trained horses more than Robert Price who has more than one reason to do so.

The NSW south coast trainer has had a runner in every one since they started in October and saddles up Jostle in Saturday's 1400m race at Randwick.

Price said the races were a boost for country trainers who are finding it increasingly difficult to win in their own backyards.

"I actually put in an application to the trainers' association that there should be at least one maiden at country meetings for country horses only," Price said.

"We are taking on city trainers all the time, mostly from Warwick Farm.

"Most of the races at Nowra on Monday were won by metropolitan trainers and last month at Bathurst there was a meeting where all the races were won by Warwick Farm trainers.

"So it's great for us to be able to come to town and have a race which is for us only."

The trainer was one of two successful country trainers at Nowra on Monday with Leami Astray an impressive four-length winner.

Price won the 1400m Highway Handicap at Rosehill on November 14 with Dashie De Luxe who appreciated the wet track.

But the trainer is hoping the predicted rain late in the week doesn't come for Jostle who, like Dashie De Luxe, will be ridden by Kathy O'Hara.

"She won't really enjoy it if it rains," Price said.

"But I believe she is up to these horses.

"She wasn't beaten far at Wagga last month and she is better second-up.

"She has no weight (54kg) and I think she is a real chance."

Jostle finished 1-3/4 lengths from the winner when sixth of seven at Wagga on Christmas Eve after a four-month break.

Among her opposition on Saturday is the Tim McIntosh-trained Star Shaft, the winner of an 1100m Highway race on December 5.

Since that win, Star Shaft has finished third twice over 1200m at Wyong and Randwick.

He gets into Saturday's race with 57kg after apprentice Brodie Loy's 2kg claim.

– AAP

Latest News

Prime Thoroughbreds - We have a Host of Leaders in our Team

Tuesday, 29 June 2021

Prime Thor­ough­bred’s cur­rent rac­ing team is putt­ing to­gether quite a re­cord. We have 22 hors­es that have raced in our team at pre­sent. Six­teen of th­ese are win­n­ers in­clud­ing the Stakes win­n­ing trio Ru­bisa­ki, Fituese and Xtreme­time with Miss Di­vine Em and Miss In Charge run­n­ing 4th in Stakes races. This sees a stakes win­n­er to win­n­er ra­tio of 18.75% with a stake’s per­formed to win­n­er ra­tio of 31.25%. Th­ese are ex­cep­tio­n­al fig­ures.   More »

Freedmans land maiden Group One win

Saturday, 27 February 2021

Un­der-rat­ed fil­ly For­bid­den Love has emerged as an au­tumn car­ni­val smokey with a bril­liant per­for­mance to win the Sur­round Stakes at Rand­wick.  More »

Capriccio completes Damian Lane treble

Saturday, 27 February 2021

In a big day for coun­try-trained hors­es, War­r­nam­bool fil­ly Capric­cio has tak­en out the In­glis Dash for Daniel Bow­man.  More »

More news headlines »