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Home / Sport / Racing

Racing: Specialist miler faces staying test

NZ Herald
9 Nov, 2011 04:28 PM4 mins to read

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Owners of Platinum Princess celebrate after their win at Riccarton yesterday. Photo / Supplied

Owners of Platinum Princess celebrate after their win at Riccarton yesterday. Photo / Supplied

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Trainer will step Platinum Princess up in distance to pursue Counties Cup gold

Platinum Princess's record may suggest she's a Riccarton mile specialist but Awapuni trainer Lisa Latta believes her upset Coupland's Bakeries Mile winner is just getting warmed up.

Minutes after the Keeper mare had bravely fought off favourite Twilight Savings for the coveted $230,000 scalp at Riccarton yesterday, Latta was already confirming plans to attack another group two event this month - the $100,000 Counties Cup (2100m).

The November 19 feature will be Platinum Princess's first middle-distance since running last in the Travis Stakes and a battling fourth next up in the Rotorua Cup (2200m) last autumn.

However, Latta, who is riding a high with mare's co-owners, loyal stable backers Lincoln Farms, is confident the 5-year-old is ready to take the step up.

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She has already proved she has the potential to compete at group level over a middle-distance by winning a R90 2050m event at Tauherenikau as recently as January 2 this year.

"I know her best form is over 1600m but I think she will stay now," said Latta. "She's learned to settle a lot better than she did last year and she's that much stronger.

"With another year on her, she's definitely ready to have another go."

Latta said the raceday rain and rider Kelly Myers' recommendation that the camp add blinkers were the keys to the mare's career-high breakthrough paying $24.70 to win yesterday.

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"She didn't have a hood on her when she won here last time [on October 23] and Kelly knew she needed it on her to sharpen her up," says Latta.

Myers gave Platinum Princess a dream trip in transit and while the rest of the field scouted wide on the turn, she took advantage of a little used strip closer to the fence.

"I couldn't have wished for anything better," said Myers, who celebrated her third winner yesterday and a fourth career group two success.

"The little bit of rain really added to the confidence. She began good enough but I didn't want to dig her up because she can pull a bit, but she travelled beautifully, lovely and relaxed.

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"I really couldn't have asked for a better run. Everyone was too scared to use the rail but there was nothing wrong with it.

"I was happy to be there and she was just too good for them."

For a few brief strides early in the straight, it looked like favourite Twilight Savings would finally give Cambridge trainer Murray Baker a change of fortune in feature races this season and Stewards winner Lisa Allpress a memorable double.

Twilight Savings has also been unlucky in both her previous runs over 1600m on the track, placing in both last season's Guineas.

But she had her chances to overhaul Platinum Princess in a titanic battle that saw them draw well clear of the fast-finishing plunge horse Zabisco at the line.

Zabisco's Te Rapa trainer David Greene was rapt with the 4-year-old's debut at group level.

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The lightly-tried son of Zabeel, in his first race out of R80 company, ran the fastest last 600m of any runner after getting himself into an awkward spot in the running.

"He's still learning what the racing game is all about; Michael Coleman said he knuckled over at the start a bit," said Greene. "I'd have to watch the replay again but it seemed like he also got flushed out wider on the turn by a couple of tiring runners.

"But he tries his guts out every time he goes to the races.

"Michael said that as soon as we get a draw and a good soft run he's just going to come out and go whoosh."

Greene was unsure yesterday where to head next with his exciting entire who was having just his ninth career start in the Riccarton feature.

Booked for a long float journey home today, Zabisco, however, is more than likely heading for a breather before he races next. "I think 2000m is going to be perfect for him and if we look after him he's definitely going to be a better horse next year," said Greene.

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"It's all ahead of him as long as the handicapper doesn't sting us too much."

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