Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr shooting for winning hat-trick with Miss Roumbini at Caulfield

Jockey Ethan Brown will have freedom of navigation for his attempt to post a winning hat-trick on Miss Roumbini at Caulfield on Saturday.

Ethan Brown and Miss Roumbini have formed a profitable combination in three winter outings. Picture: Getty Images.

Jockey Ethan Brown will have carte blanche for his bid to prolong Miss Roumbini’s winning run at Caulfield.

Miss Roumbini has emerged as a late season stakes contender for trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr, posting impressive wins at Sandown and Caulfield at her last two starts.

Kent Jr said he was particularly impressed with Miss Roumbini’s Sandown success, which he added showed the Zoustar filly could measure up in harder races than Saturday’s Sportsbet Photo Finish Refund Handicap (1400m).

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“She didn’t deserve to win last start from where she came from but she did a terrific job,” Kent Jr said.

“I loved her win at Sandown two runs back because she won like a good filly and she looks like a horse that we could possibly get black type in the future.

“Hopefully Saturday is a stepping stone in that direction.”

.@Brown_ethan8 stayed towards the inside aboard Miss Roumbini & it worked out beautifully 👌

The Zoustar x Bleu Roche filly showed plenty of fight to score back-to-back [e-mail]/ExIBjVnBXA

— Racing.com (@Racing) June 29, 2024

Miss Roumbini will find herself in a tactical affair in the opening race at Caulfield.

She will face seven rivals, including last-start winners Lovazou and Waimarie, but Miss Roumbini will jump from the outside barrier.

Kent Jr said the scenario would mean jockey Ethan Brown, who has been aboard for Miss Roumbini’s last two starts, could assess the early moves before deciding his tactics.

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“She has to carry the top weight but we’d prefer to keep the in-form Ethan Brown on instead of claiming with an apprentice,” Kent Jr said.

“We’ll have a chat to Ethan closer to scratching time but it will be up to Ethan.

“When the gates open, he can ride her how he needs to because she’s very adaptable.”

Miss Roumbini has remained solid at $2.90 in TAB’s early betting on the $150,000 contest, leaving her as the second pick behind the $2.20 favourite Enna’s Dream.

However, Miss Roumbini’s stablemate Rezone is the $3 favourite to break his maiden in the Sportsbet Fast Form Handicap (2000m).

Rezone showed he was up to city grade with his last-start third at Flemington.

⚜️ Yulong-bred & -sold 3YO filly, Miss Roumbini (Zoustar x Bleu Roche) pulls clear in the hands of @Brown_ethan8 for @MickPriceRacing at Sandown.

She was a $550k @mmsnippets GC buy for her trainers & ARJB Racing.

Congrats! #aworldofopportunitypic.twitter.com/FSmCNCntwL

— Yulong Investments (@YulongInvest) June 15, 2024

Kent Jr said he was surprised the son of Dundeel had not notched a win in his first four starts.

“I think Rezone is a progressive horse and we like him for the future,” Kent Jr said.

“He’s a big son of Dundeel that ran really well at Flemington last time.

“I’m very surprised (he hasn’t won yet). I was very surprised when he was beaten at Pakenham (in May) but he had atrial fibrillation post-race.

“He worked really well on Tuesday.”

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Kent Jr agreed with TAB’s assessment, which rated Rezone as the better of the stable’s chances in the race, ahead of imported three-year-old Eye For An Eye.

Eye For An Eye improved to win when stepping up in distance at Geelong last start but Kent Jr said he would be suited again over 2000m.

“He’s bred to get out over ground and back against his own age, over 2000m, he’ll be a chance,” Kent Jr said.

“But on what we’ve seen at home, Rezone is the better chance of the two.”

Originally published as Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr shooting for winning hat-trick with Miss Roumbini at Caulfield