Racing: Princess off to do battle

Outstanding 2-year-old filly Mi Jubilee and maiden stablemate Callaina head to Sydney tonight under the care of Wanganui trainer Stephen Crutchley.

Mi Jubilee has a licence to sprint - backed by some daunting front-running sectional times and a career record of four wins and two second placings from eight starts.

This season Mi Jubilee won the Group One Ellerslie Sires Produce Stakes and Group Two Matamata Breeders Stakes - performances that could clinch New Zealand 2-year-old of the year honours.

This is the first trip to Australia for Crutchley campaigning a racehorse and he is looking forward to taking on New South Wales' leading fillies.

"The trip to Sydney will be a good learning experience for myself as a trainer and also for Mi Jubilee," said Crutchley.

"She's a very sensible filly and a good traveller so I don't see her having a lot of difficulties coping with the Sydney campaign.

"We'll be stabled with Chris Waller at Rosehill and I'm aiming Mi Jubilee at the Princess Series for 3-year-old fillies in Sydney.

"She hasn't raced since failing in the Ford 2-Year-Old Classic at New Plymouth in March but her trackwork recently at Wanganui has been outstanding.

"She's a natural athlete who keeps herself very fit so I have no concerns about her fitness levels heading into this campaign.

"She pulled up a little tender in a front leg after the New Plymouth race and it looked like she had stepped into a hole on the track.

"She went from cruising speed to struggling in a matter of a couple of strides and although we have had a lot of veterinary examinations performed on her they could find nothing wrong with her.

"She is such a high-speed filly that when she took that wrong step she really over- extended herself.

"She has been recording some sensational times in training here at Wanganui against some pretty smart racehorses so I know we have got her on track for a bold showing in Sydney."

Mi Jubilee is the current New Zealand 800 metre record holder after clocking 44.85 seconds at Otaki this season.

Crutchley is adamant that Mi Jubilee is a well-balanced athlete who can either lead or sit off the pace.

The Princess Series gets underway with the Group Three $A150,000 Silver Shadow Stakes (1200 metres) at Warwick Farm on August 20.

The next event is the $A125,000 Furious Stakes (1400m) at Randwick followed by the $A140,000 Tea Rose Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill and the Group One $A350,000 Flight Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on October 1.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY