Forecast rain not a Shocka for ATC Cup hope

Posted by RS NewsWire at 5:18pm on November 28th

AA forecast for rain in Sydney later this week is music to the ears of two of Rosehill’s newest residents as Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr prepare Hezashocka for the ATC Cup.

Based primarily at Cranbourne in Victoria, the training partners have recently been granted 16 permanent boxes at Rosehill and are excited by the opportunities it will afford their business.

“We have been utilising five or six visitor’s boxes in a temporary fashion for the last four or five months and we’ve had horses there amass $1.8 million prizemoney. It has been really good for us,” Kent Jnr said.

“It’s something we’re very excited about. We’ve got a great team there and Mick and I are there frequently.

“It’s going to allow us to really stamp our footprint in the Sydney training ranks.”

Price and Kent Jnr hope to play a hand in the feature races at Rosehill on Saturday with Hezashocka in the Listed ATC Cup (2000m), while dual acceptor Raikoke has been scratched from the Listed Starlight Stakes (1100m) in preference for the Kia Ora Prague Handicap (1100m).

Hezashocka was a Group 3 winner in Queensland during the winter carnival and is expected to strip fitter for his unplaced first-up effort behind Gringotts in the Big Dance (1600m) on an unsuitably firm track.

“He needs rain-affected ground. We’re praying the forecast remains as-is because there is rain due,” Kent Jnr said.

“We ran him first-up in the Big Dance because he was eligible, and we had to run him somewhere. It was never going to suit him on a good track over a short distance, but at 2000 metres on a soft track, it brings him right into the race.

“We plan to give him a short preparation, then give him a let-up ahead of the autumn and winter carnivals next year.”

Up to 20mm of rain is forecast for the Rosehill area on Friday and up to 25mm on race day and it will be a case of the wetter the better for Hezashocka, whose five wins have all been on rain-affected tracks.

More Racing News

Vein Girl impresses in rich Magic Millions The Debut win

Vein Girl has put herself in contention for next month’s $3 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic with a strong win on debut under lights at the Gold Coast’s first night meeting. The Chris and Corey Munce-trained Vein Girl was sent out the $3.50 favourite with betting sites in Friday night’s $250,000...

Dec 21st

Pallaton races into 2025 Golden Slipper contention

Pallaton has stamped himself as a two-year-old colt to watch heading into 2025 with an impressive debut win at Randwick. Trained by Michael Freedman and ridden by Tommy Berry, Pallaton raced to a 2-3/4-length victory in Saturday’s Shinzo @ Coolmore Plate (1000m) and firmed to be among the early favourites in Golden Slipper...

Dec 21st

Arriving Home set to target the Magic Millions Guineas 2025

Trainer Bjorn Baker would love to get lightly raced filly Arriving Home into the Magic Millions Guineas next month after the three-year-old remained unbeaten with a tough win at Randwick. Stepping up from a midweek city maiden win at Warwick Farm on debut earlier this month into Saturday’s Petaluma Handicap (1300m) – a...

Dec 21st

The Kings horse Gilded Water wins at Randwick

Imported stayer Gilded Water has made it back-to-back victories in Australia and has given his owner, His Majesty King Charles III, a winner at Royal Randwick. The King’s racing manager John Warren was on track at Randwick on Saturday as the Ciaron Maher-trained Gilded Water raced to a convincing victory in the...

Dec 21st

Goldman digs deep in the Pakenham Cup 2024

One time Melbourne Cup favourite, Goldman has notched up his fourth win in Australia, leading throughout to take the Listed Pakenham Cup (2500m) under Beau Mertens. Jumping an $8.50 chance, Goldman’s staying prowess was on show as he kicked back to deny Grand Pierro ($19) by a long head, with $3.30 betting site...

Dec 21st

Here To Shock gives Lindsay Park quinella in The Supernova

Ben, Will & Jd Hayes had the numbers two and three seed to knock off race-favourite Nadal in Saturday’s $1 million The Supernova (1400m) at Pakenham and did just that, with Here To Shock, ridden by Daniel Stackhouse, edging stablemate Arkansaw Kid in a thrilling stable quinella. Here To Shock ($4.60) trailed a strong...

Dec 21st

Kevin Daffy happy to wait with Oh Too Good ahead of VOBIS Gold Bullion

Trainer Kevin Daffy says there is still plenty of time to chase the big league with his lightly-raced mare Oh Too Good. A winner of four of her seven starts with three runner-up finishes as well, Oh Too Hard runs in the VOBIS Gold Bullion (1400m) at Pakenham on Saturday. Daffy was sounded...

Dec 20th

Bedggood chases rich The Supernova prize

Two rising nine-year-olds, both resuming, will give Gavin Bedggood a potential shot at his biggest payday as a trainer. A former jockey, Bedggood has been plying his trade as a trainer since 2017 and during the recent Melbourne Spring Carnival prepared Mornington Glory to land his first Group 1 success. Just Folk and Windstorm, both...

Dec 20th

Collett hoping for Dream Brisbane raid in BJ McLachlan Stakes and Magic Millions Falvelon

A pair of promising two-year-olds from the Ciaron Maher stable have lured top Sydney hoop Jason Collett to Queensland for back-to-back meetings this weekend. Collett is heading north to partner filly Life After Love in the $250,000 Magic Millions The Debut (1000m) at the Gold Coast on Friday night and her Maher-trained stablemate...

Dec 20th

Theodore aims to keep strike-rate going in Christmas Cup at Murray Bridge

Trainer Stephen Theodore is looking to Divine Fire keeping his impressive strike-rate going when she shoots for a winning hat-trick on Saturday. After victories at Morphettville and Gawler, Divine Fire runs in the Christmas Cup (1600m) at Murray Bridge with Jacob Opperman in the saddle. Since returning to training ranks at the start of...

Dec 20th