Prolific Princess steals Ash Wednesday Trophy

In a driving finish involving four horses, 6-1 chance PROLIFIC PRINCESS, under champion jockey Omar Walker, squeezed home by a short head to win the overnight allowance feature over 1300 metres for the Ash Wednesday Trophy, at Caymanas Park yesterday.

Trained by Neive Graham for popular owner O'Shaun Connection, the 5-y-o chestnut mare raced just off the early pace in fourth passing the half mile as the fleet-footed TALENTED TONY K (13-1) led from DANCING QUEEN (17-1), with the 1-2 favourite CHACE THE GREAT racing in touch at this stage in a maximum field of 16.

TALENTED TONY K was caught by DANCING QUEEN in mid-stretch, but by then, PROLIFIC PRINCESS and the 46-1 outsider BIRDIE MY LOVE (formerly BIRD CATCHER) loomed large into contention, with PROLIFIC PRINCESS on the inside getting her nose in front on the wire to beat BIRDIE MY LOVE and DANCING QUEEN with CHACE THE GREAT a mere length away fourth on the outside.

Graham said that he was pretty confident of victory, but he expected it to be close in such a large field.

ONE OF THE SHARPEST

"She turned in an impressive exercise gallop of 1:06.4 for 5 1/2 furlongs in preparation for the race and was one of the sharpest in the field. She also loves to sprint, having won back-to-back races over six furlongs late last year," said the trainer.

On a day when Ameth Robles rode two winners, including 25-1 outsider RICHIE'S PIK in the seventh, bang-in-form LIGHT BRIGADE (3-1) notched his fourth consecutive win this season, going wire to wire in the Clifford Stewart Memorial Cup over 1200 metres (claiming $250,000 - $210,000), with Shamaree Muir again in the saddle. The 8-y-o gelding from the stables of Delroy Wisdom held on by a neck from the fast-finishing 1-1 favourite, BARS OF GOLD, then had to survive a stewards' inquiry.