Trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr aim to end Golden Path’s preparation on a high note in the 2024 Hill Stakes

Michael Kent Jr has declared Saturday’s $2 million Hill Stakes (1900m) as a “grand final” for classy campaigner Golden Path.

Trainer Michael Kent Jr admits he still doesn’t know how high the ceiling is for Golden Path as his classy chestnut attempts to wrap up a sensational preparation on the big stage at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

Golden Path has been up and racing since March but has continued to thrive since kicking off a NSW stint with a fifth in The Coast in May.

The son of Belardo put together a hat-trick of Sydney winter victories, snaring a maiden stakes win in the Listed McKell Cup in June.

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Kent Jr and co-trainer Mick Price raised the bar higher again last start as Golden Path ran a solid third behind topliners Eliyass and Ceolwulf in the Group 3 Kingston Town Stakes.

The Cranbourne-based conditioners have continued to space Golden Path’s run in an effort to get to his spring “grand final” – this week’s $2 million Hill Stakes (1900m).

“This is his grand final,” Kent Jr said.

“He has been up a long time this horse but our Sydney team have done a fantastic job just spacing his runs.

“He enjoys that style of training. He has time in the paddock with green grass between runs and he is just a happy horse.

“He has really gone to a new level as these Belardo’s seem to get better with age. He was always a rangy, framed type as a younger horse but he’s filled out now and he is just in the groove.

“Every run he goes to a new level and we don’t know where that will stop.”

Yasss!

A great finish to the G3 Kingston Town Stakes, with Eliyass adding another win to his impressive record! Bring on the Metrop!@clarkyhk | @GaiWaterhouse1pic.twitter.com/NGW067HC04

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) September 21, 2024

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Price and Kent Jnr have taken confidence in the knowledge that the form around Golden Path has stacked up.

Kingston Town Stakes winner Eliyass has since finished third in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes at Flemington while runner-up Ceolwulf was a dominant victor in last week’s Group 1 Epsom Handicap at Randwick.

Land Legend and Zardozi finished midfield in the Kingston Town before going on to finish one-two in the Group 1 The Metropolitan last weekend.

“The form around Golden Path, particularly last start, but even his start prior is all working out well,” Kent Jr said.

“I think he got beaten by two Group 1 horses last time and was six weeks between runs.

“We left a bit up our sleeve for him to improve into Saturday’s Hill Stakes so he is going great and even Chad Schofield, who knows the horse inside out, thinks his two gallops in the past 10 days have been as good as he has ever galloped.

“We are rapt with the horse and just hope things work out in our favour on Saturday.”

Chad Schofield has hit form at the right time. Picture: Jeremy Ng / Getty Images

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Schofield, fresh from breaking a decade long Group 1 drought on Ceolwulf last week, will also pilot Amenable for Price and Kent Jr in the $1.5 million Alan Brown Stakes (1400m).

But the newly-minted Epsom Handicap-winning rider has been set a task after Amenable drew barrier 22 for the second up assignment.

Amenable was doing his best work late in his first run back from a spell when seventh in the Group 3 Bill Ritchie Handicap (1400m) last month.

“Amenable probably got the wrong run of the race to win first up but Chad rode him to hit the line,” Kent Jr said.

“He ended up getting a long way back but he was in a non-winning position and stormed home.

“That will settle him up beautiful for his next few runs where there is a lot of money on offer.

“We hope to go to the Five Diamonds Prelude after that.”

Amenable has drawn wide in the Alan Brown Stakes. Picture: Scott Barbour / Racing Photos

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It was only a few weeks ago that Price and Kent Jr were preparing to have another The Everest runner with three-year-old talent Bustling.

But the former West Aussie star has been sent for a spell after failing to fire as expected in his maiden campaign for a host of prominent owners including Neil Werrett, Col Madden and Max Whitby.

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Price and Kent Jr plan to start fresh when Bustling returns in the New Year.

“We are very lucky to have great owners in the horse,” Kent Jr said.

“They are well-seasoned and they understand racing. We didn’t want to mess around with their slot and felt the horse wasn’t 100 per cent.

“Everyone understands we’ve got a nice horse on our hands and we know there are so many races around for these good sprinters.”

Private Eye has since taken The Everest slot once occupied by Bustling.

Originally published as Trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr aim to end Golden Path’s preparation on a high note in the 2024 Hill Stakes