Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Written by Richard Edmunds
Father-and-son trainers Robert and Luke Price have always believed Jamaea (Headwater) was a filly right up with the very best of her generation, and on Saturday she proved it on the big stage.
The 2-year-old gave the Nowra training partnership their first black-type win with a brilliant finish in the G2 Heineken Percy Sykes S. on the second day of The Championships at Randwick, upstaging her higher-rated rivals in a $17 upset.
It was a surprising result for many, but not for Robert Price.
“I haven’t had a bet for three years, but I had a bet today,” he said. “I couldn’t see her getting beaten. We just needed that little bit of luck. You’ve only got to look at her previous runs – she can roll off a sectional.
“I haven’t had a bet for three years, but I had a bet today. I couldn’t see her (Jamaea) getting beaten." - Robert Price
“She’s been reasonably green, but we were pretty happy with her today.”
A debut winner in a four-horse field at Kembla Grange in January, Jamaea had placed in two of her three starts in between times – the Listed Lonhro Plate in early February, and then the G3 Magic Night S. on March 13.
Rather than having a crack at the G1 Golden Slipper seven days later, the Prices resisted that $3.5 million temptation and switched their focus to the Percy Sykes. On Saturday that patient approach was richly rewarded in the $1 million fillies’ feature.
After dropping back to second-last, Jamaea and jockey Tommy Berry burst through a narrow opening in the straight and edged out the previously undefeated Crystal Bound (Not A Single Doubt) by a long neck.
“She was brilliant,” Berry said. “I rode her a week before the Slipper and she gave me a lovely feel, but was very hot and above herself in the yard, which is unlike her. It just sort of showed that she was looking for a bit of a let-up.
“Full credit to the team – they could have gone to the Slipper, but they decided to wait and give her a little bit of a break. I’m just rapt for them. I had other offers to ride for this race, but I really liked this filly.
“I went down and trialled her a week and a-half ago (winning over 800 metres at Kembla Grange). I just really like her. There was something about her. She has a great attitude. I learned a lot about her when I rode her. I knew she’d have a good turn of foot, but it’s only short-lived.”
Price paid tribute to his son and training partner Luke, as well as apprentice jockey Brock Ryan, who was in the saddle for all of Jamaea’s first three starts before injury intervened.
“It’s a real credit to Luke, as he rides this filly every day,” he said. “Also to young Brock, who is home with a broken leg. He has been heavily involved and it’s disappointing he couldn’t be on her today, but I wish him all the best at home.”
First Group 2 winner for sire
Jamaea became the third and highest-rated stakes winner for her sire Headwater, who stands at Vinery Stud.
The Exceed And Excel stallion has sired 39 winners overall from his two crops so far, with Wisdom Of Water also winning the G3 Ken Russell Memorial Classic and Mileva capturing the Listed Manihi Classic.
Jamaea is out of the Group 3-winning Johannesburg (USA) mare Isibaeva, and Saturday’s Percy Sykes-winning filly was a $130,000 purchase by Robert Price Racing at the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. She was later on-sold to her owners, the Noble family and Big Five O.
“This is just an outstanding result,” Price said on Saturday. “She has always shown us good ability, natural ability early. She was a natural 2-year-old. We have a lot of time for this filly, and I just want to thank the Nobles for giving her to us to train.”
