Racing: Wealth Princess runs Te Rapa track record time with ease

Wealth Princess' 1200m course record at Te Rapa on Saturday was more significant than most realise.

Since Te Rapa has been sand-slitted fast times have virtually disappeared off the map.

The only course record this decade was when the outstanding Kindacross clocked 57.23 for 1000m in December 2004.

The previous record was Promise Me running 1200m in 1:08.81 in 1995.

Wealth Princess trimmed that record up to 1:08.59 on Saturday.

Horses simply can't do that unbeaten in only four career starts.

She not only did it, she achieved it with ridiculous ease - and should not have won after muffing the start.

A last-to-first performance, with a track record thrown in and lengths to spare at the finish.

"I could have won by five lengths if I'd wanted to," said David Walsh, who has ridden Wealth Princess in each of her four races.

"And she's got no idea what she's doing yet," said Walsh.

"She steps up [in class] each time she goes to the races and wins just as easily."

On paper, the $200,000 Railway Stakes at Ellerslie on January 1 would seem the perfect next target, but it may not be.

As much as Wealth Princess has got away with her lack or ringcraft down in the grades and again on Saturday, in the Railways there is nowhere to hide if you make just one wrong footfall.

Walsh and Wealth Princess' trainer Brent Gillovic are to discuss the Railway, but the unbeaten mare is no certainty to run.

"We both agree it's not ideal for her, where the Telegraph is more her race after another couple of starts," said Walsh.

The mare's slow start on Saturday was out of character.

"She took one funny step just before they let them go and she missed it," said Walsh.

"I stayed back last because there was a fair bit of pace on and I didn't want to go around them even though it was a small field.

"I clicked her up when we straightened and she went so quickly she ran right up their backsides.

"That other horse [Celeris] put three lengths on them and you might have thought we couldn't win, but she picked them up easily.

"You wouldn't know how good she is."

Celeris put in what would normally be counted as a winning effort and was beaten by an extraordinary performance.

* The Central Districts proved too strong for the northerners in the juvenile department.

Awapuni horseman Kevin Gray doesn't travel his horses unless they're winning chances and Cellarmaster proved him right again.

Cellarmaster didn't draw too well, but still managed to get positioned for Michael Coleman and put a winning break on the opposition early in the home straight.

Hastings colt Jimmy Choux came out of the trail to chase him home.

Cambridge youngster Lion Tamer might not have justified his favouritism, but his third was terrific, particularly as a coming 1600m horse or stayer.

Lion Tamer was outsprinted by the first two home, but the way he got to the finish said every bit as much about his ability levels as did his last-to-first Pukekohe debut victory.

"That's the performance of a horse for a Champagne Stakes [1600m] at Randwick later in the season," said co-trainer Murray Baker.

Rider Mark Du Plessis realised he had no chance with the first from the 200m and rode for third without punishment.

"He's a lovely, lovely horse," Du Plessis told owner Phil Bayly.