Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr out to learn about Kitty Rose ahead of Spring Carnival assault

Two promising UK outings are part of the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr’s learning experience with spring carnival contender Kitty Rose.

Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr.

Trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr have a matter of weeks to learn as much as possible about spring carnival contender Kitty Rose.

The pair took over the three-year-old’s training before her fifth at Royal Ascot last month before Kitty Rose ran a solid second at Listed level at Newmarket on July 11.

Kent Jr said Kitty Rose’s Royal Ascot effort, when fifth to Soprano down the track’s famous straight mile course, off a 10-week break demonstrated her potential.

“I think we set her a task that was Mission Impossible because she’s awkwardly rated,” Kent Jr said.

“She’s rated 104 so we ended up running her fresh off a 10-week break and I think she would have been a lot better suited having a run into the race.

“She was first-up with 30 runners down the straight and she was the filly doing the bullocking work towing the first four placegetters into the race. They went past her but she stuck on really gamely.”

Congratulations to 18-year-old rising star jockey Billy Loughnane, who has landed his second ever #RoyalAscot winner on SOPRANO in The Sandringham Stakes. Hats off to trainer George Boughey, and to owners Highclere Thoroughbred Racing. pic.twitter.com/pl5swy8nB2

— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) June 21, 2024

Kent Jr said the stable would attempt to find another race for Kitty Rose as the camp looks to educate itself about the talented galloper in the time she has left in England.

Kent Jr said Kitty Rose would head into quarantine in time to arrive in Melbourne at the end of September with other spring contenders.

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“We want to find out everything as much as we can about her,” Kent Jr said.

“She comes out on the first shipment so we’ve got until mid-September before she enters quarantine. We want to learn about her, get her fit and have her tuned up for when she gets out here.”

Kent Jr said he and Price had several targets in mind for the British-bred performer, who has won two of her six starts.

He said the daughter of Invincible Army could find herself in races over 1500m or 1600m during the spring but the trainers could stretch her out in trip in her next runs.

He's Back! 🟢⚪️🟡

A drop in grade and trip work the oracle for Al Musmak, who comes from off the pace to land the Listed Sir Henry Cecil Stakes @NewmarketRace.@varianstable | @SilvDSousapic.twitter.com/rLIhUyLDoZ

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 11, 2024

“Whether we explore 2000m before she comes out, we’ll have to think about,” Kent Jr said.

“We have to work out now, what she’s doing when she comes out to Australia. Are we going to the Golden Eagle? Or the Empire Rose (Stakes) or something else?”

TAB rated Kitty Rose as a $26 chance in early betting on both the Golden Eagle and Empire Rose Stakes.

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Both races will be held on November 4.

Rosehill will host the Golden Eagle, which is worth $10m, while the Empire Rose Stakes will be run at Flemington for $2m.

Originally published as Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr out to learn about Kitty Rose ahead of Spring Carnival assault