Prom Queen extends winning streak in NZ Champagne Stakes
TOP New Zealand filly Prom Queen has won again on Saturday when taking out the Listed Berkley Stud Champagne Stakes at Riccarton Park.
The two-year-old by Super Easy made it five wins from six starts in another impressive display where it was involved in a speed battle up front, but was still able to kick away for an easy victory.
The South Island-based filly is trained by Kenny and Lisa Rae, who take a team of runners to the south every year despite being based in the upper North Island at Ruakaka.
Prom Queen smashes her rivals in the first of the Riccarton features, the Listed Berkley Stud Champagne Stakes. Cousteau 2nd, Kiwi Ida 3rd pic.twitter.com/UJXtbHQ7BQ
— TAB Racing (@TAB_Racing) May 6, 2017
All five of its career wins have come at Riccarton, which included a 9.5-length win two starts back. That justified its odds of $1.70 with Sportsbet.com.au for Saturday’s race and it now has the possibility of heading to the Brisbane winter carnival.
Co-trainer Kenny Rae stated he might prefer taking the most conservative approach by targetting the New Zealand 1000 Guineas on its home track and Rae was quick to put the boot into the doubters.
“A few doubters have been saying she hasn’t beaten much, racing seven-horse fields, but she’s been running the times,” Rae said. “She doesn’t have anything to prove now. The doubters can stick that up their bums!”
Rae said he was worried coming into the race and many doubted whether it would see out the 1200m distance, but it showed a natural ability to hug the rail and score one of the most impressive victories this autumn.
“I was a bit worried coming into today. She’s been in and out of work, and when we first got her around this time last year she was unbroken,” Rae said.
“She’s still growing, and a lot of horses go backwards during that. She just keeps going forwards.
“I’m not just saying this because she’s my horse, but she’s a horse with real untapped ability. It’s exciting, but it’s nerve-racking.
“I’ve been nervous today. It’s a great group of owners.”
Rae has had his fair share of good horses in New Zealand, which included Egyptian Raine which raced as Our Egyptian Raine in Australia.
“Her dam (the Royal Academy mare Finishing School) ran third behind Egyptian Raine and Zirna in a stakes race as a two-year-old,” Rae added.