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By Ray Hickson

There wasn’t a moment’s hesitation from co-trainer Luke Price to hand the reins on stable star Jamaea to apprentice Brock Ryan for Saturday’s Group 2 $200,000 Darley Furious Stakes (1200m) at Randwick.

Trainer Luke Price

Price, who co-trains with his father Robert, said the stable’s in-form apprentice was the obvious choice when Tommy Berry was suspended simply because he’d earned the opportunity.

The in-form Ryan, who rode four winners at Rosehill on July 24 and a metro double last weekend at Kembla Grange, has partnered Jamaea in half her starts including her debut win and a second in the Listed Lonhro Plate.

“He knows the horse, he’s riding doubles on Saturday in town. He’s not really an apprentice, he’d have finished 12 months ago if it wasn’t for things like injury and Covid,’’ Price said.

“He’s got the experience now, knows the horse and I have pure faith in him. He knows the way I like my horses ridden and we have a pretty good combination so I’m more than happy to have him on.

“He earns every bit of opportunity he gets. He’s never had a sick day, he’s a hard worker and he deserves it. He might only be warming the seat for Tommy in the meantime but he will make every opportunity of it.”

Jamaea signalled she’s one of the most promising fillies of her year when she claimed the Group 2 Percy Sykes Stakes at The Championships and showed Price she’d returned well finishing fourth in the Silver Shadow two weeks ago.

She clocked the second fastest last 600m in the race, 34.58 (Punter’s Intelligence) and spent the first half of the straight held up before things got tight late.

“It would have been lovely to see her get a clear run at them,’’ Price said.

“She came through it unscathed and came through it really well. She was a little bit unlucky but you’re going to have that in races.

“I think she has one of the better turns of foot out of the fillies there. I do believe she is extremely good and definitely up to Group 1 standard.”’

It’s only going to be a short spring campaign for the filly and depending on her performance on Saturday and in the Tea Rose Stakes (1400m) in two weeks she may not line up in the final leg of the Princess Series, the Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m) next month.

The other option is to freshen up and target the Gold Coast in January.

“We’ve never given a two-year-old as many runs as her so I have in the back of my mind to give her a light spring,’ Price said.

“On the track she’s showing she’s going as good as ever if not better. She hasn’t grown a lot, she’s only 10kg heavier, but she’s thickened up a lot.

“She’s got some fight in her, she can give us a hard time around the stables.”

Price expects Jamaea, $13 with TAB on Thursday, to be in the finish again in the Furious and feels she will get that chance having drawn off the fence this time around.

“I love the draw, we’ve got good horses around us to get on the back of, good jockeys around us to get on the back of, and I can’t wait until Saturday,’’ he said.

Cuban Royale's last start at Randwick on August 21

Stablemate Cuban Royale could find himself aiming at the $1m The Hunter (1300m) at Newcastle in November if he can take a few more steps in the coming months.

The seven-year-old is racing well at present but Price feels he’s improved since an unlucky sixth at Randwick two weeks ago so is expecting him to go close in the ACY Securities Handicap (1200m) where he was a $12 chance on Thursday.

After drawing wide the gelding settled further back in the field than usual, was strung up for a run, then unleashed a last 600m of 33.43 to be beaten under three lengths.

“He attacked the line so well and he’s only better for the run. He’s going extremely well on the track this week,’’ Price said.

“I think he looks better going into this run than last start so hopefully he’s getting better and better with racing.

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Randwick meeting