Trainer Luke Price is ready to release the pressure valve on Cuban Royale, in a bid to claim the Summer Provincial Series crown at his second attempt later this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The five-year-old gelding missed out on qualifying for the inaugural $1 million The Gong race, then faded late in the consolation Benchmark 88 race (1600m) at Kembla Grange.
But he's been around to the mark for a significant pay day, when second in the Nowra Cup and fourth in last year's Summer Series final.
On Sunday, he qualified after jockey Brock Ryan set a thumping tempo at Hawkesbury, leading by as much as four lengths on the turn, only to be run down on the line by the Kris Lees-trained Occupy.
With three weeks to prepare Cuban Royale for the $150,000 summer series decider, Price declared removing the blinkers and having him sit behind the pace would be the key to a breakthrough win over the mile.
"I'm still confident he'll be very hard to beat," Price said.
"We won't be looking to take the final on like that, with a big field and some pressure on, I think he'll be better to take the sit in behind them. He's been a bit unlucky, there was a lot of pace in that race (on The Gong day) at Kembla and he's all but won there on Sunday. But we've set him for this race all prep, he'll be hard to beat."
Cuban Royale is yet to win in five career attempts at the mile, running a game second to Savvy Ken when well supported in the Nowra Cup in May.
He ran fourth in the Summer Series final last year, three lengths behind this year's Provincial Championships winner Bobbing.
And Price expects he can press on with another run after Christmas, before they map out some Sydney autumn and winter targets.
"He's definitely capable of winning a nice city race," he said.
This year's final will be run at Gosford on December 27 with a $150,000 prizepool, following the last of five heats at Wyong on Thursday week.
The Price stable also have four-year-old gelding Spectre as a contender, who ran third in the Kembla Grange heat, before co-trainer Rob Price declared he "made a goose of himself" doing everything wrong in a Class 4 at Wyong.
While Lees will be bringing an army of five to the final, Kembla Grange trainer Theresa Bateup also has a ticket with Golly I'm Lucky, who was second in the Kembla Grange heat last month.
Golly I'm Lucky is listed as a $23 in Wednesday's Benchmark 70 Handicap over 1500m at Rosehill.
Bateup also has six-year-old mare Fleeting Stryke ($34) stepping out to 1900m on Wednesday.
While you're with us the Illawarra Mercury is offering sport readers 20% off an annual digital subscription. Sign up to stay up to date with all the local sports you love for only $3 a week. Terms and conditions apply.
Subscribe to our newsletters
Tim Barrow
When it comes to sport - at professional and community level - in the Illawarra, I'm here to provide insight, context and opinion, as well as the latest news you won't find anywhere else.
When it comes to sport - at professional and community level - in the Illawarra, I'm here to provide insight, context and opinion, as well as the latest news you won't find anywhere else.
