Victorian trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr gunning for The Coast day clean sweep

Golden Path has gone ‘enormous’ in the lead up, Hezashocka is a definite winning chance and Grand Impact is a mudlark – Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr are heading to Newcastle on Saturday with confidence.

Golden Path has gone ‘enormous’ in the lead up, Hezashocka is a definite winning chance and Grand Impact is a mudlark.

The talented trio are set to ensure Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr have their bases covered for Saturday’s rescheduled The Coast day at Newcastle with the Victorian trainers gunning for a feature clean sweep.

Saturday’s feature meeting was transferred to Newcastle on Thursday evening due to a heavy 10 track at Gosford and the forecast of further rain on the Central Coast.

Price and Kent Jnr are still set to wield a strong hand with lightly-raced talent Golden Path in the $500,000 The Coast (1600m), Hezashocka lining up in the Listed $300,000 Gosford Gold Cup (2100m) and Grand Impact taking on the Listed $250,000 Takeover Target Stakes (1200m).

Golden Path ($14) is looking to snare his first victory since winning the Silver Bowl Series Final (1600m) at Flemington last July.

Golden Path makes a mess of them in the last at Flemington 👏

A special win for @beau_mertens ❤️@MickPriceRacingpic.twitter.com/juOysYplGD

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) July 1, 2023

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The son of Belardo, who was tested in stakes races last spring, is third up in The Coast after finishing midfield in the Listed Golden Mile at Bendigo last time out.

“Golden Path looked a very promising horse towards the end of last preparation running against horses like Antino at stakes level,” Kent Jnr said.

“His first up run was enormous when he ran on without much room late and second up we were most disheartened by the performance. We couldn’t explain it.

“It was seemingly just a flat run second up.”

Price and Kent Jnr have made a gear change in an effort to get Golden Path back on the winner’s list.

“We have always kept blinkers up our sleeve so we’ve applied them for Saturday,“ Kent Jnr said.

“He worked enormous here on Tuesday, sitting off a maiden and braining it by four lengths with more to offer so the blinkers might do the trick.

“Just hoping barrier one is not a negative at that time of day on a soft track.”

Newcastle was rated in the soft range on Friday with more rain forecast on raceday that could see the track downgraded.

The wetter the better for stablemate Hezashocka as he prepares to tackle the Gold Cup at his fourth run this preparation.

Hezashocka comes home strongly to win the VRC Members Handicap!@[e-mail]/3TSBXM98y0

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) July 16, 2022

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The son of Shocking has never missed the placings on heavy going and is a $4 chance to improve on that record this weekend with Chad Schofield aboard.

“Hezashocka eats the mud,” Kent Jnr said.

“He is in great form. He has been slow away and that track at Randwick the other day in his last start, you have to be up there.

“He was very good against the pattern and we were happy with the horse.

“The horse has done very well between runs so he is a definitely winning chance again.”

Grand Impact made a promising start to his career with a hat-trick of wins including a Group 3 success but then spent more than 500 days on the sidelines.

The four-year-old is unplaced in two runs this preparation as he continues to work his way back to top form.

“We are hopeful and not confident with Grand Impact,” Kent Jnr said.

“He had a gut buster first up off a long break. Not doubt that knocked the stuffing out of him second up on what was good ground.

“He is clearly a mudlark, he loves it heavy.

“He won his first three starts and a Blue Sapphire on a heavy track at Caulfield so we are happy with the horse and will definitely improve.”

Grand Impact will contest the Takeover Target Stakes at Newcastle. Picture: George Sal / Racing Photos

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TAB rate Grand Impact as a $9 chance in the Takeover Target Stakes with Regan Bayliss aboard.

Bayliss also pilots Thought Provoking for the stable in the Tooheys New Benchmark 78 Handicap (2200m).

Thought Provoking was originally off to Adelaide to defend his crown in the Centaurea Stakes but the prospect of a rain affected track encouraged Price and Kent Jnr to change their plans.

“It is good ground over there so we diverted to Sydney looking for heavy ground,” Kent Jnr said.

“She is ready to run close to her peak and is entered for the Magic Millions Broodmare Sale so will be heading up that way.”

Originally published as Victorian trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr gunning for The Coast day clean sweep