Price adds a partner to training business

Multple Group One-winning trainer Mick Price is to take on a training partner, Mick Kent jr.

Mick Price sees his working hours getting longer despite being about to take on a training partner.

Mick Kent jr, son of respected Cranbourne trainer Mick Kent, is set to join the Caulfield-based Price in coming weeks.

“I love doing what I’m doing and have no intentions of stepping back,” Price said.

“I’m doing this so I can drive my business. I want to make it better.”

Price has 75 horses in training at Caulfield and 20 more at Warrnambool, which he hopes to grow to 40, with Matthew Williams.

He expects to spend 95 per cent of his time at Caulfield but wants the opportunity to travel to Warrnambool to inspect his team.

“They have a bit of a circuit where they trial and gallop on the course proper at some of those big tracks like Terang and Camperdown,” Price said.

“I want to get down there and watch my own horses, not all the time, but every now and then.

“I can spend the day down there because he (Kent) will be here training the horses.

“There’ll be two trainers. I think it’s a great opportunity for him and I think it’ll benefit the owners.”

Price said he had tried beach facilities in the past, with different people, but was impressed with Williams’ set-up.

He described metropolitan training ideal for two and three-year-olds but said as horses age, some appreciate a beach environment.

“He (Williams) has good expertise at the beach. His staff have good expertise at the beach and he’s got his own pristine property with treadmills, water walkers, yards, paddocks,” Price said.

“It’s a different environment as horses get older and it’s about sustaining a longer, more profitable career for a lot of horses.

“The amount of prize money in Victoria and New South Wales is amazing for the right horse if you look after him and as the horse changes and needs different facilities, it will be very successful.”