Racing: Winning princesses face different futures

Matamata trainer Mark Walker's black type-winning princesses from Saturday may face very different immediate futures.

Princess Coup is likely to head towards the group one 1000 Guineas following her win in the listed $45,000 Ray Coupland Stakes at Ashburton on Saturday.

However, Polish Princess may be headed straight to the broodmare paddock after winning the listed $50,000 Mason 4-Year-Old Stakes (1400m) at New Plymouth.

Walker, who won 15 black type races last season, has several useful 3-year-old fillies but said Princess Coup was definitely his best prospect for the Guineas on November 11.

"She's right on target for the Guineas and has still got some improvement in her," Walker said.

"She's going to need to improve further to beat some of the top northern fillies in the guineas but she's a nice relaxed filly."

Bought at the Magic Millions Winter Yearling Sale on the Gold Coast in July last year for $260,000, Princess Coup looked a good filly after coming from last to win in the hands of jockey Chris Johnson.

"She had a wide draw so she was always going to go back but Chris knew he had the best horse in the race and never panicked."

Princess Coup is likely to have one more start before the Guineas, in the listed Slade Farm Canterbury Stakes (1600m) at Rangiora on October 22.

The Encosta De Lago filly's Guineas odds were cut from $16 to $11 on the TAB fixed odds market after Saturday's win. The hot favourite is Highview Stakes winner Naturo at $2.

Meanwhile, Walker said Polish Princess might have run her last race after gaining black type at New Plymouth, although that decision would be up to her owners, Windsor Park Stud.

Polish Princess, a British-bred mare by the successful sire Polish Precedent, was having just her fifth start in New Zealand when she won on Saturday.

"We had targeted this race for her a long way out because it's the only black type race for 4-year-olds that's a handicap," Walker said.

"We managed to get her in at a good weight [53kg] and we're delighted to get the win.

"She will go for a break now and her owners have to decide whether to breed from her now, because the win makes her a more valuable broodmare, or try her in autumn."

Polish Princess settled near the front at New Plymouth and had too many guns in the straight, winning by three-quarters of a length from Old Belvedere, with Waikeepadacash a similar distance back in third.

Walker will aim to add further black type success in the group one $1 million Kelt Capital Stakes (2040m) at Hastings next Saturday with Zarius.

The winner of last season's City of Auckland Cup is likely to be the stable's only representative in the Kelt because Darci Brahma is being aimed at the Toorak Handicap in Melbourne on October 14 and his top mare Shikoba is having a break after falling after passing the post at the end of her race at Paeroa last week.

- NZPA