Jamaea on track for Millions
IT’S been a breakout 2021 for NSW south coast trainers Rob and Luke Price, and they are planning to carry that over into the New Year when they travel to the Gold Coast with talented filly Jamaea, for the Magic Millions 3YO Guineas in January.
Since the father and son training duo formed a partnership in 2016, this year has been by far their best with Jamaea and stable superstar Count De Rupee leading the way.
Jamaea started things off in the autumn when winning the $1m Group 2 Percy Sykes Stakes before Count De Rupee rounded it out with success in the $1m The Gong after a second placing in the $7.5m Golden Eagle.
Luke Price, who runs the Kembla stable, said he believes Jamaea has continued to progress since her spring campaign where she confirmed her place in the upper echelon of Sydney’s three-year-old fillies’ with a memorable victory in the Group 2 Furious Stakes in September.
“She is going super-duper,” Price said.
“Her first trial at Kembla
was great. She’s really going well.
“She will head to Canterbury to trial on Tuesday. It’s her second trial and she won’t be asked to do a great deal.
“We did contemplate running in the Gosford Guineas, but we decided against it. We think we’ll get what we need from taking her to the trials at Canterbury next week.
“Putting her on the float and taking her up to Sydney to a racetrack to give her a hit out will give us what we need.
“We are going to head up to Queensland on the 29th and let her get settled in.
“She’s ticking over really well for Queensland at this stage and we couldn’t be any happier with her.”
Price says the 1400m of the Magic Millions 3YO Guineas holds no fears for him despite Jamaea suffering the biggest defeat of her career when she stepped out against some of the best colts in the nation in the Group 1 Golden Rose after her Furious Stakes win.
“None of those colts are going to the Gold Coast,” Price said. “I do think the 1400m is within reach for her.
“If you go back and watch the Furious, she wasn’t stopping and that win screamed 1400m.
“Since she has come back, she’s really continued to mature as a racehorse.
“She’s around 480 kilos now whereas last prep in the spring she was closer to 460 and the biggest change we’ve noticed with her is she’s much more relaxed in everything you do with her.”
Jamaea is the $8 favourite in the TAB Fixed Odds all-in market for the Magic Millions 3YO Guineas at the Gold Coast on January 15.
Meanwhile, Price is also looking forward to the imminent return to training of Count De Rupee.
“He’ll be back in after Christmas,” he said.
“I went and saw him the other day and he’s doing great at the farm. He’s going to have a light autumn.”