Will Price can chase an Adelaide Cup dream aboard Canford at Morphettville in two weeks’ time after the Ryan Balfour-trained galloper claimed Saturday’s Group 3 Lord Reims Stakes (2600m).
Canford continued a stellar summer for the Balfour stable holding off So Bene in the feature giving Price his first Group victory, the win made the more special given it was trained by a good mate.
“It means a lot,’’ Price said.
“Especially, to do it for Ryan who I did a lot of work for here (in Adelaide) before moving to Melbourne.
“Every time I come back, he’s supported me with everything he can,’’ he said.
Price said the stable were confident Canford would be hard to beat, firstly from Balfour, while his dad Simon had given the horse a solid push after riding him in his work during the week.
“Ryan was very confident, he said he was going to run a super race,’’ Price said.
“Dad (Simon) actually worked him on Tuesday and said he’s going well,’’ he said,
Canford will now head to next month’s Group 2 Adelaide Cup as one of the leading local contenders after Hasta La War was again sidelined through injury and scratched on race morning.
“He deserves a crack now,’’ Price said.
It was another great day for stable with apprentice Campbell Rawiller further establishing himself in the Adelaide jockey ranks with a riding double.
Rawiller was successful aboard Struck By for the Travis Doudle stable while Heyington Station won the last for Will Clarken.
And the success of the SA Apprentice Academy extended to Lock on Sunday.
Stacey Callow’s fine start to her career continued winning the Lock Cup aboard Hand to Hand for Julie Branford and Hayley Dorward, the second leg of a double. Alice Lindsay claimed riding honours with a treble, while SA's apprentices claimed five of the six races on Lock Cup day.
