Capel trainers Ross and Clint Price hit the ground running when racing returned to Ascot and Bunbury on the weekend.

Their boom Snitzel sprinter Smoko extended his unbeaten record to four on Saturday and stablemate Danish Delight followed up with a debut victory on Sunday.

Danish Delight (4m Danehill Express – Yumalishus by Metal Storm) arrived at the Price family’s south coast stable as an unraced three year-old in June.  “She injured a knee last year and the owners wanted to incorporate as much beach-work as possible in her training routine,” Clint Price said.  “We took her along steadily and it didn’t take long to realise she had ability.

“She gave Ben Paterson a good feel winning a trial last month and we were confident she would go well first-up on Sunday.  She settled midfield and rounded them up pretty easily to win by over two lengths.”

Price believes the mare is good enough to go straight into a Saturday race at Ascot with one proviso.  “We will see how she recovers but there’s always the risk of aggravating that knee.  It was a Dead 5 at Bunbury but the tracks are much harder in Perth.”

Danish Delight was a $30,000 buy from Mungrup Stud at the 2011 Perth Magic Millions and is raced by Rod Bennett, Bob Bright and Nick Petrides.  Her dam Yumalishus retired a maiden in December 2003 but she did earn black-type earlier that year when placed in the LR Ngawyni Stakes.

Yumalishus foaled a colt by Mungrup shuttler Dick Turpin in August.

Danehill Express finished fourth on the Australian second-season winners’ premiership with 30 winners of 45 races in 2012-13.  He sired a double at Bunbury when King Of The Palace saluted in the Radiowest Hcp (1000m) on Sunday.

Mungrup stands him for an $8,800 (inc gst) service fee.

– Karl Patterson