Stradbroke Handicap 2024 mount reward for hard work

Jockey Will Price has been rewarded for his work with the Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman stable by picking up the ride aboard Roll On High in the Stradbroke Handicap.

Roll On High earned a start in the Group 1 contest over 1400m at Eagle Farm on Saturday after taking out the Group 3 Fred Best Classic (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 1.

The mount on the Moody and Coleman-trained filly will be Price’s fifth at Group 1 level.

Price has previously had two Group 1 rides in Melbourne and two in Adelaide with a best finish of third on Nobel Heights in the South Australian Derby in 2021.

“Will does a bit of riding and a good bit of work at home for us,” Moody said.

“He will ride the weight comfortably and can have a three-course meal. He won’t be lacking for anything when the ride comes around.”

Price will delay a trip to Bali to ride Roll On High on Saturday.

He was meant to leave on Sunday before being joined by other family members and friends who are heading there to celebrate what would have been his mother Belinda’s 50th birthday.

Belinda died last year after a battle with pancreatic cancer.

Roll On High has 49.5kg on Saturday but weights are likely to rise.

Bella Nipotina is the current topweight at 55.5kg after the latest round of acceptances, but the topweight must carry 57kg in the Group 1 contest.

It means the weights will rise 1.5kg if Bella Nipotina accepts, but if she does not, they will rise 2kg with Magic Time the next in weight order on 55kg.

Roll On High has found form at the right and enters Saturday’s race in peak condition as she aims to become the first three-year-old filly since La Montagna to win the Stradbroke Handicap.

“She’s in good order and pulled-up well from getting the ‘Golden Ticket’ last week,” Moody said.