Special win for Price family

Harness racing mare Ruby Roe (Captaintreacherous) delivered a poignant win today in the $40,000 Group Three Wyndham Champagne Stakes at Wyndham.

The four year old mare is owned by John and Katrina Price. Sadly, John’s father Roger passed away earlier today after a battle with cancer and the Nathan Williamson trained mare wore the colours of Roger Price to honour the Winton horseman.

“We thought he would like seeing his colours going around again. To get the win is just fairytale isn’t it. We thought we got the fairytale last week when Always B Royal won and he was able to watch. He got so excited last week because that was his breed. We’re very grateful and blessed with these two very special wins,” Katrina said.

Earlier today the Prices were unsure as to whether they would get to the races.

“We weren’t really feeling up to it but he said to us yesterday to go and even Helen (Roger’s wife) was adamant that we had to get out here.”

The best horses Roger owned were Looksaflyer (8), Scotty Mach (7), Bella Holmes (6) and Fuel Queen (5).
Horses bred by him won 143 races in New Zealand, the first being Bella Supreme in February 1987.

As a trainer Roger trained six winners on his own account between 1985 and 2000 and a further 76 with Katrina between 2000 and 2013.

“We had a great partnership together. I’d never had anything to do with harness racing so he taught me. He was very patient and he let me make a lot of mistakes without any judgement. I was very fortunate.”

The best horse Roger bred was Chicago Bull which won 62 races and banked $2,417,890. His wins included two Freemantle Cups, a WA Cup, WA Derby and a Four Year Old Classic – all Group One features.

In today’s mares feature trainer driver Nathan Williamson dropped Ruby Roe to the tail of the field as Sweet Diamond made the pace.

With 650 metres to run Williamson moved Ruby Roe out three wide to make her run. Coming off the last bend she was forced four wide as Mr Kaplan pushed out. But Ruby Roe sustained her long run and got up to beat a late charging Lakelsa by a neck, with half a head back to Sweet Diamond.

RUBY ROE REPLAY

“Nathan said after last week’s win that that was the first time she really felt like a racehorse. She was really determined to win.”

Ruby Roe has now won eight of her nineteen starts and today’s win was her first at Group level. She’d previously finished second in the Group Two Garrards ‘Premier Mares’ Championship and third in the Caduceus Club Three Year Old Fillies Ladyship Stakes.

‘She’s gone awesome in some of those big races. She never got blessed with good draws. I think she deserves this.”

Ruby Roe is out of Arden Caviar who has crafted a good career at stud, with her best two winners Pearl Harbour (15 wins in New Zealand and Australia) and Captain Nemo (13).

The Prices sold Arden Caviar in 2023 to Trevor Lindsay of Karnup Racing in Western Australia.

“We had Pearl Harbour. Because we like racing the fillies we often sell the mare and keep the fillies. Pearl Harbour was retired and then we found out we couldn’t actually breed from her. But we’ve got Ruby Roe and a two year old (filly by Tall Dark Stranger) that went to the workouts the other day.”

Katrina said Ruby Roe will start in the $40,000 Southern Belle Speed Series Final at Winton.

“We may start in the Uncut Gems race. She’ll probably have a break then and won’t race until the mares’ races at the end of the year.”

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink