Golden Path notches hat-trick with victory in Premier’s Cup Prelude at Randwick

The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr-trained Golden Path is relishing his time in Sydney and brought up the hat-trick with victory in the Premier’s Cup Prelude at Randwick.

Golden Path wins the Premier’s Cup Prelude at Randwick on Saturday. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

Golden Path’s fruitful run in Sydney continued when adding Saturday’s Premier’s Cup Prelude (1800m) at Royal Randwick to the trophy cabinet.

It gave the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained Golden Path a third straight win and it’s coincided with the gear change of blinkers going on.

“He’s just a different horse with them (blinkers) going on,” stable representative Ben Elam said.

“Chad (Schofield) said the first time we put blinkers on that he really savaged the line which is what we needed to see from him, because he did think about it.

“He’s just a horse that’s in form and when they’re going like this, you’ve just got to keep him happy.

“They say happy horses win races and he’s exactly that.”

It capped off a successful day for Schofield, who booted home the first winner of the day with the John Thompson-trained Bundeena ($7) in the opening race.

The Group 1-winning hoop stalked the favourite Aramco ($2) the whole way and with that horse shifting out as they turned for home, it opened it right up for Golden Path to hit the front.

“We were (up the favourite Aramco’s) bum and travelling so well,” Schofield said.

“When he (Aramco) started to hang off the track I went up the inside and he showed as good of a turn of foot on the dry ground as he did on the heavy.

“Full credit to Mick Price and Michael Kent (Jr), they had him really well prepared today and I think he’ll improve off that again.

“He’s just so full of confidence now obviously with that win being three on the bounce.”

Solid gold! 🥇

Golden Path makes it three straight and takes the Premier's Cup Prelude, with @SchofieldChad riding a wining double!@MickPriceRacingpic.twitter.com/ZWp6Kzf87m

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) August 10, 2024

While the son of Belardo has been in work since the start of 2024, the stable has spaced his runs and Elam suggested a crack at the Premier’s Cup at Rosehill over 1900m in two weeks time is on the cards.

“We’ve got some targets with him so we’ll space his runs out,” Elam said.

“Obviously the Premier’s Cup is in two weeks and from there we’ve got a lot of options.

“But he’s had a lot of runs this time in so we’ll train him as we see him.

“When a horse has had this many runs you don’t have to do a lot with them other than keep them happy.”

Chris Waller’s Group 1 winner Manzoice showed a glimpse of his old form as he ran on for second while the Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald-trained Redstone Well battled on for third spot.

The favourite Aramco arguably cost himself a chance of running in the top three and finished fourth with jockey James McDonald in the saddle.

Originally published as Golden Path notches hat-trick with victory in Premier’s Cup Prelude at Randwick