By Anthony Manton
The Black Book will identify race performances around Australia particularly worth following in the future. These may be high profile runners at trials and smaller tracks, or eye-catching performances, we'll aim to give you a horse to add to your pedigree or performance black book for the future.
The South Coast training partnership of Robert & Luke Price have a very interesting runner lining-up at Canterbury Park on Friday night in the shape of 3-year-old colt Sheriff (Myboycharlie {IRE}) who contests race three, the 3-year-old Benchmark 64 Handicap over 1100 metres.
Rarely do the Price team keep colts to race but after two successive wins this preparation Sheriff has given the stable no reason to fix what isn’t broken.
“We don’t usually leave them colts in our stable but he’s got a great attitude particularly around the fillies and mares." - Co-trainer, Luke Price
“We don’t usually leave them colts in our stable but he’s got a great attitude particularly around the fillies and mares. The way he gets about the stable and in his work you wouldn’t know he was a colt."
“He’s a lovely natured horse and we’ve always known he had good ability so we kept him a colt and so far he hasn’t let us down,” said co-trainer Luke Price.
Sheriff resumed this preparation with a narrow second at Nowra in early December but has since recorded two dominant victories at Goulburn on December 20, and his home track Kembla Grange on January 3 before a short let-up.
“We gave him two weeks at the Menangle water-walker after his Kembla win. Since we’ve had him back in the stable he had a private jump-out last week and has done really well during the break”.
“Being a colt, although he’s not an overly big horse you can’t miss him with his work but he’s coped really well and done better this time in” said Price.
Sheriff is by Myboycharlie
Sheriff hasn’t been without some issues along the way going shin sore after his first start at Warwick Farm and he’s been a slow maturing horse but this preparation is starting to fulfil the potential Price always knew was there.
“He’s a cracking type physically and he’s just starting to mature now. Maybe keeping horses like this as colts gives them that inner strength to win that they otherwise may not have. It’s working for the moment anyway” said Price.
“Maybe keeping horses like this as colts gives them that inner strength to win that they otherwise may not have." - Luke Price
Black type goals
Friday night’s race will be a big challenge for Sheriff as he takes his place alongside the likes of the Waterhouse & Bott trained Lucand Lad (Squamosa) and Godolphin’s Decor (Carlton House) who is among four other last start winners in the race, however, Price is looking forward to seeing how Sheriff measures up.
“Friday night is a good test for him and we’re very lucky to get Kerrin McEvoy who will be able to give us great feedback to map out a plan this preparation,” said Price.
Co-trainers, Robert and Luke Price
Although a race by race proposition at this stage Price suggested the Group 2 Arrowfield Stakes run over 12000 meters at Randwick on April 13 has been highlighted as a long-term aim for Sheriff.
“A race like the Arrowfield [Stakes] would be perfect, it’s a Group 2 and they have increased the prize money to a $1,000,000 this year”.
“He’s a horse with a high cruising speed that races up on the pace and 1200 metres around Randwick would be ideal,” said Price.
Sheriff is the first foal from dam Just Another (Reset) who part-owner Steven Wilson trained and bred this colt with. Just Another won four races and was a capable provincial class sprinting mare. She is a half-sister to multiple city winner Flying Hostess (Host).
“Steven [Wilson] trained the mare himself and always had a high opinion of her. This colt is her first foal and they were always going to keep him to race” said Price.
Price is hopeful Sheriff can continue to progress through his grades and if he could happen to record black-type success he may have options as a stallion prospect post his racing career.
“Being by Myboycharlie he doesn’t really have a stallion’s pedigree but if he could perhaps get some black-type next to his name you never know where he could end up, there might be a market for a horse like him” said Price.
Myboycharlie has sired thirteen individual stakes winners, most notably in Australia three-time Group 1 winner Jameka, while more recently in America the Grade 1 2018 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (1m3f) winner Sistercharlie.
Ciaron Maher Bloodstock recently paid $600,000 at the 2019 Magic Millions Yearling Sale for a Myboycharlie colt out of the mare Mine Game (General Nediym) making him a full-sister to Jameka.
