Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images)
Well performed three-year-old filly War Princess (U S Navy Flag) proved a class above her age group rivals as she led from barrier rise to take out the Gr.3 Lawnmaster Eulogy Stakes (1600m) at Trentham to claim her first success at stakes level.
The Peter and Trent Didham-prepared daughter of U S Navy Flag went into the Group Three feature off the back of a luckless runner-up performance in the Listed O’Learys Fillies Stakes (1340m) at Wanganui last month where she flew home to finish behind Circus Dancer after taking an age to wind up in the home straight.
Rider Sam Collett took the bull by the horns this time as she bounced War Princess straight to the lead at the start and dictated terms to suit themselves as the well fancied Matamata visitor Origin Of Love sat in her slipstream throughout.
It was evident turning for home that the two favourites would fight out the finish, with Origin Of Love even having the temerity to thrust her head in front with 300m to run.
War Princess was having none of it and she found another gear to dash clear shortly afterwards as she cruised to the finish line more than a length to the good of her rival, with Capaci a further four lengths away in third.
Trent Didham was pleased with the performance from his charge, who was on trial for a start in the rich $1.5 million TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) at Ellerslie next month.
“We thought she was a little bit unlucky last start when we tried to sit her in behind a couple and get her to relax a little,” Didham said.
“Sam knew what she was doing today, took her to the front and she ran away from them.
“I thought she was going along at a good clip and she was going to get the mile, so it was a good ride.
“This will open a lot of doors, whether it is the slot race ($4 million NZB Kiwi, 1500m) or the Karaka Mile, so it is exciting.”
Collett was also delighted to get the win after admitting she may have made a slight tactical error on the filly at Wanganui.
“In my own words it wasn’t probably the greatest ride in the world last time as we may have over thought it a little bit,” she said.
“Dids (Peter Didham) just said to me ‘you know her’ and he left me to it and when she hopped away so well, horses like that make our job so easy.
“She puts herself there, puts herself to sleep and is an all-round competitor. When she got challenged, I wasn’t too sure how much horse I had left, but true to her form, once I asked her the tough question she just put them away again.
“She is really tough and her form hasn’t faltered at all this term so it a credit to Dids and his team.”
Haunui Farm offered War Princess in Book 2 of Karaka 2024, where Exempt Bloodstock and Didham Racing bought her for $77,500. She has now had eight starts for five wins and earned $152,860 in stakes.
TAB Bookmakers have War Princess listed as a $16 Fixed Odds chance for the Karaka Millions 3YO behind the raging hot favourite Well Written at $1.90.
