Princess Coup Tightens Grip on Filly Series
5 March 2007
Princess Coup's (Encosta de Lago x Stoneyfell Road) class prevailed to sweep her to a one-and-a-half length victory in the penultimate race in the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series, the Group 3 Devan Plastics Lowland Stakes (2100m) at Trentham on Saturday.
Ridden by Chris Johnson, the Mark Walker trained filly has further tightened her grip on the Series with 29 points on the board, eight ahead of her nearest rival, Veloce Bella (Volksraad x Wave to Lottie) and 11 ahead of Dorabella (Postponed x Caserio) currently in third place.
The John Wheeler trained Castlebar (Volksraad x Search) put forward a stirring challenge after an impressive last start triumph over Zygadene (Zabeel x Desert Lily) in the Oaks Trail at New Plymouth. She fought hard under the guidance of Bruce Herd but had to settle for second spot.
Currently sitting second on the apprentice rider premiership, Troy Harris partnered Soelin (Stravinsky x Solano) to finish a further four lengths back in third. Both Castelbar and Soelin are new entrants to the Filly of the Year Series leaderboard.
Heading into the final race in the Series, the Group 1 New World New Zealand Oaks (2400m), Princess Coup looks unlikely to be knocked from her perch since the only two fillies able to challenge her lead, Veloce Bella and Dorabella, are unlikely to start in the race.
After a successful preparation with the Group 1 New Zealand Bloodstock One-Thousand Guineas win as a highlight, Dorabella has headed for a well deserved rest in the spelling paddock while Veloce Bella is now an unlikely starter in the Oaks having been�badly galloped on in Saturday's Derby. With 12 points on offer to the winner of the Oaks, 7 for second and 3.5 for third Dorabella or Veloce Bella would have had to have won and Princess Coup been unplaced to clinch the Series crown.
A victory by Princess Coup in the Series would make it a two-in-a-row for Mark Walker who also trained last year's winner, Shikoba (Chief Bearhart x Summary).
Owned by prominent bloodstock investors John Bromley and Ray Coupland, Princess Coup has emerged as one of the highest rated fillies in New Zealand this season and if victorious in the Oaks will join the likes of Lashed, Mnemosyne and Alinghi as Group 1 winning fillies by her Coolmore Stud sire. The win is the fourth stakes win for the daughter of the multiple stakes winning Sovereign Red mare, Stoneyfell Road.
In the Oaks nominations the Matamata based Te Akau Racing Stables, for which Walker is trainer, has a strong hand in the NZ$300,000 race. Headed by Princess Coup the stable also boasts likes of Mercedes Derby third placegetter Uberalles (Giant's Causeway x Ethereal), Group 2 Great Northern Guineas winner Santagostino (Giant's Causeway x Devil's Lair), Soelin, and Zygadene as part of their bid to secure the prestigious race on 17 March.