Luke Price is intent on breaking two droughts on Saturday.
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It's been a year and a dozen starts since Our Bambino last parked in the winner's stall, but Price knows the five-year-old gelding is closer than ever after a flashing run for third at Gosford last start.
Up the road at Rosehill, Price is brimming with confidence about the veteran Cuban Royale's chances of snaring his first success since last July, having had 10 runs since.
With a weight drop due to Jackson Searle's claim, Our Bambino will run in the last, a BenchMark 64 over 2000 metres at Kembla Grange, while Price will also have to wait for Cuban Royale to jump at the end of a 10-race metropolitan card, in a 1300m BM78.
"He just keeps training on well, the old boy (Cuban Royale)," he said.
"I've been really impressed with him. We had a bad trip to Wagga [for the Town Plate], where we had transport problems and nothing went right for us, but otherwise he's been going well and he's right in this.
"Our Bambino should have won last start, [jockey] Tommy (Berry) was the first to admit we had too much to do late, but he's every chance."
It might be heading into the dead of winter, but Price is relishing the opportunity to finally find an improving Kembla track, rated a Soft 5 on Thursday afternoon.
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With the rail true, it's the best surface we've seen at the Illawarra Turf Club this year due to the big wet.
"It's been great to get back into full trackwork again and find races on better ground," Price said.
"Some horses love the wet, but Our Bambino will appreciate being back on a Good surface, or close to it and while Cuban Royale has won on Heavy, he's better back on a dry track."
Price's chances do not end there, with Verbek about the $10 mark for Saturday's BM72 Midway Handicap at Rosehill.
"He's got a great draw, he'll be up there on the speed with Tim Clark on board, he'll have every chance," Price said.
"We tried him at 1800m last time and we're happy to come back to the 1500m in a very suitable Midway, he shouldn't be far away at all."
Back at Kembla Grange and Price has promising three-year-old Slickman testing his Class 1 credentials over 1200m.
Slickman won on debut at $41 at Moruya, but will face some stiff competition in Brad Widdup's Sepoy Star and the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Pole Position. Price also is optimistic about Kimberley Rain in Saturday's 1200m BM68 at Kembla, after finishing impressively last outing in a Midway.
"She was really good late and this is a nice race for her," he said.
Race one at Kembla Grange jumps at 12.30pm.
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