2025 Cockram Stakes: Miss Roumbini to line up for trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr

The tenacious mare, a five-time winner from nine starts, is fancied in the Group 3 Cockram Stakes (1200m) on a rain-affected surface.

Co-trainer Michael Kent Jr said the five-year-old daughter of Zoustar has returned in great shape after an extended break following a short but successful summer campaign.

Miss Roumbini placed in the Group 3 How Now Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield last November then won the VOBIS Gold Stockade at Ballarat before Magic Millions Fillies & Mares (1300m) success.

“She’s got a very good overall record, I think she’s still improving,” Kent Jr said.

“She really pins her ears back, she’s in great form, very sound, and going great.

“Her trial was very good against some good horses, done everything right – we cannot fault her.

Miss Roumbini won a hot 900m Caulfield trial on August 13 from Miraval Rose, Niance and multiple Group 1-winner Magic Time.

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Magic Time is $3.90 favourite on Saturday for the Cockram from Miss Roumbini ($5.50), Pop Award ($6.50), Gerringong ($7.50), Manaal ($8), Damask Rose ($9) and Stretan Angel ($9).

“If she runs well and pulls up well we’ll have a go at the Rupert Clarke,” Kent Jr said.

“She’s three for three second-up and 1400m is a great distance … down in the weight.”

Kent Jr, who trains in partnership with Mick Price, has six runners on Saturday including Best Of The Best in the Group 3 McNeil Stakes (1200m).

Best Of The Best has been set a task, going from a Sale maiden to a Group 3 contest and despite a query on conditions, Kent Jr said the smart colt warranted the “leap of faith”.

“It’s a big learning curve for him on Saturday and for us,” Kent Jr said.

“It is a leap of faith but we don’t do it without good reason, we clearly like the colt.

“He won with a bit in hand at Sale, while it wasn’t a big margin, it was quite a wet track that day and it’s not his best ground … given him time between runs and he’s really strengthened and come on.

“If it was a handicap he’d be getting 20kg off the toppy (Group 1 winners Devil Night and Vinrock), it shows you the deep end he’s in, but I think it’s the right race to learn more about our colt.”

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Golden Path, a developing stayer, is second-up in the Listed Heatherlie Stakes (1700m) on Saturday.

The six-year-old gelding placed third first-up at Caulfield in a 1600m Benchmark 100.

“He went like a nice stayer. They dropped him at the top of the straight, they outsprinted him, but he stayed on best on the line, maintained his gallop the last 400m,” Kent Jr said.

“Drawn a nice gate (seven) is the key, he’ll put himself in a good tactical position in a race where there are a lot of horses resuming and looking for further, I think he’s a lovely each-way chance.”

Originally published as 2025 Cockram Stakes: Miss Roumbini to line up for trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr