Trainer Mick Price excited for Royal Ascot runner Kitty Rose and wants to get more imports into the stable to meet Australian demand

As he gets set to saddle up recent stable acquisition Kitty Rose at Royal Ascot, trainer Mick Price says he wants more European horses in the stable to meet Australian demand.

Trainer Mick Price wants more international horses in the stable. Picture: Vince Caligiuri / Getty Images

Trainer Mick Price wants more European horses in the stable to meet Australian demands.

Price and co-trainer Michael Kent Jr will saddle their first Royal Ascot runner on Friday with Kitty Rose in the Listed Sandringham Stakes Handicap (1609m), with champion jockey Oisin Murphy aboard.

“We’re starting to buy a lot more imports,” Price said.

“How can you avoid them … the horses are good and if you bring them down here they’re very good, class-wise.

“The training of them, getting them to adapt to Australia, is the trick.

“There’s a few imports there (in the stable) … plus a lot of Australian owners like them.

“Look at, now in decent (Australian) races, half of them have got the European suffixes, if you can’t beat them join them.”

🏆Ballylinch Stud Irish EBF Ingabelle Stakes (Listed)
1.470 m - 100.000 EUR - for 2yo fillies
🇮🇪 Leopardstown

Kitty Rose (IRE)
(Invincible Army -Varnish , by Choisir)
J : @wjlee24786
T :Natalia Lupini
O :Nigel O'Hare/Gary Devlin/Kabin Racing Syndicatepic.twitter.com/wX1e2QTOOV

— 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙𝙍𝙖𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙜 (@WorldRacing1) September 9, 2023

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Leading trainers Ciaron Maher, Chris Waller, Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott and Ben, JD and Will Hayes race a lot of imported horses.

Kent Jr last year sourced Kitty Rose, a multiple Group 3-placed and Listed-winner in Ireland, for Australian owners on the advice of “our ratings man”, as a candidate for the $10m Golden Eagle in Sydney in November.

The opportunity to run at the Royal Meeting, starting on Tuesday, was too good to pass up.

“It’s exciting, a good plan by Junior,” Price said.

“He has put a lot of time and effort into it and has got good owners involved.

“Junior has got his ratings man going through lots of horses all the time … and she came up on the radar.

“We paid decent money for her, not seven figures, but decent money.”

🏆Ballylinch Stud "Priory Belle" Stakes 🏆  
🥇 A Lilac Roller
🥈 Kitty Rose
🥉 Buttons@wjlee24786 | @paddytwomeypic.twitter.com/Cd03N1TUzM

— Leopardstown RC (@LeopardstownRC) April 7, 2024

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The equine data-cruncher was also behind the acquisition of boom Western Australian two-year-old Bustling, bought as a contender for $20m The Everest in October.

“He’s a hound for racehorse data, all over the world,” Price said of the ratings expert.

“(Gave us a) very, very good push for Bustling.”

Kitty Rose placed third first-up in a Group 3 at Leopardstown in April — her last run for Irish trainer Natalia Lupini.

Price said Kitty Rose could have another start in Europe, potentially in Ireland, “as long as she runs well” on Friday.

Hey, KITTY ROSE! 🌹

The Group-placed filly has joined @MickPriceRacing 🇦🇺 ahead of the Sandringham Stakes @Ascot next week. #royalascotpic.twitter.com/PqKywUsBft

— World Horse Racing (@WHR) June 13, 2024

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Meanwhile, the Henry Dwyer-trained Group 1-placed sprinter Asfoora, $5 second favourite with TAB for the King Charles III Stakes on Tuesday, is the only Australian-based raider at Royal Ascot this week.

Originally published as Trainer Mick Price excited for Royal Ascot runner Kitty Rose and wants to get more imports into the stable to meet Australian demand