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By John Curtis

Rob and Luke Price have a number of winning chances at Hawkesbury on Tuesday but no result will be more special than Satness if he is first home.

The leading Kembla Grange trainers’ apprentice Madison Waters makes her return to racing after spending time away from the industry in an even more important role – as a mother.

Waters and her partner, fellow jockey Brock Ryan (who is taking a break from riding and working at Kembla Grange Racecourse), are the proud parents of their first born, son Parker, who has just turned one.

Satness (Olivia Chambers) in winning form at Kembla Grange. Image by Bradley Photographers

Waters will partner Satness in the Irresistible Pools & Spas Midway Benchmark 68 Handicap (1300m).

The winner of 29 races, the proud Mum hasn’t ridden in a race since 25 August 2022 at Wagga.

Co-trainer Luke Price says Satness is the perfect horse for Waters to resume her career.

“Satness does everything right and Madison rode him when he ran second in an 800m trial at home on June 11,” he said.

“Being a city winner (in a Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap, 1600m at Royal Randwick last September when ridden by Ryan), he is the class horse of the field.

“Madison’s 3kg claim brings him in with 55kg (only 3kg above the limit) and, whilst Satness has never won first-up, this looks a suitable race for him to change that.”

Satness, who was a Kembla Grange 1400m winner in late February when ridden by Waters’ “stablemate”, fellow apprentice Olivia Chambers, is resuming and is a $7 chance with TAB.

Sovereign Express (Rory Hutchings), prepared by Jason Attard and Lucy Keegan-Attard, knows his home track well, having won twice at Hawkesbury, is the $3.30 favourite.

The Price boys are enjoying a wonderful season; their current tally of 41 wins, including a first ever home track treble last Thursday, being only five shy of their 46 in 2018-19.

There is one appreciable difference, however. The father and son trained 30 of their winners then on country tracks and 11 at the provincials, whereas there is a dramatic turnaround this time. Twenty-nine of the 41 winners have come at the provincials, and only nine have been in the country.

“We had the farm back then (2018-19), whereas now with the Kembla Grange stables we have not only got the quantity but have improved the quality of our stock,” Luke Price said.

“Certainly we have been able to focus more on the provincials, and the ultimate aim of course is to win more races in the city. Hopefully, in four or five years’ time we will be able to say we have won more in town than at the provincials.”

Along with Satness, Team Price has accepted with Glitterscript (HRC Motel 2YO Maiden Handicap, 1400m-$5), Mega Fight (Belle Property Hawkesbury Maiden Handicap, 1500m-$1.95 fav), Defying ($12) and Invade and Conquer (Davo’s Dash Provincial Maiden Plate, 1100m-$3.40 fav), Verbek (All Aspects Roofing Benchmark 64 Handicap, 1600m-$6), and third emergency Rare Beauty ($21), who needs one more withdrawal to gain a start in the Clarendon Tavern Benchmark 64 Handicap, 1000m.

Newcastle’s brilliant apprentice Dylan Gibbons has been called on to again partner Glitterscript and Verbek, and also picks up the ride on favorite Mega Fight. Keagan Latham rides Defying and Tom Sherry has the Invade and Conquer mount.

“We have also accepted with Invade and Conquer in the Maiden Plate (1100m) at Warwick Farm on Wednesday,” Luke Price said. “We will have a look at both fields and talk with connections before making a decision which way to head, and he is ready to win.”

Written By filly Glitterscript was a late closing and unlucky second to Maili in a 1250m Maiden Plate at Canterbury on June 10, and shapes as though she will relish the increase to 1400m.

“Mega Fight was good in finishing second first-up at Newcastle on June 15,” Price said. “If he runs up to that form, he will take some beating. Verbek returned to winning form with an easy Wyong success over 1600m on June 13, and goes up only 2kg.”

The seven-race program begins at 12.50pm, and the rail is 5m out from the 1100m to 450m, and in the TRUE position for the remainder of the circuit.

Course manager Kyle Cassim at 8am this morning posted a Soft 7 rating, with a penetrometer reading of 5.62. Hawkesbury recorded 1mm of rain in the preceding 24 hours, and a total of 11.5mm in the last week.

View the final fields with full form & race replays for Hawkesbury here