Wed | May 8, 2024

Back to form Eddie's Princess a good bet

Published:Friday | April 6, 2018 | 12:00 AMAinsley Walters/Gleaner Writer
Gladstone Taylor
First past the post SMOKESCREEN (right), with Aaron Chatrie aboard, getting the better of STORMING FLYER (Dick Cardenas) in Easter Monday's eighth race at Caymanas Park. SMOKESCREEN was later disqualified from first and placed third for interfering with PRINCE KAMALI (Richard Halledeen) in the final 200 metres. The race was awarded to second past the post STORMING FLYER.

EDDIE'S PRINCESS appears to have regained form this season, finishing close-up in three starts, including a good second-place run behind BALLERINA STEEL at 1200 metres, which should have her in good stead going a furlong longer in this afternoon's 1400-metre Jockeys' Guild Trophy.

After three disappointing runs to close last year, EDDIE'S PRINCESS returned a fresher horse, off a three-week break, having raced no fewer than twice per month, three times in September, for most of the season.

However, she has been begging for a distance of ground, twice gaining at 1200 metres with a 1000-metre straight sixth-place finish between those dates.

Reporting from a new barn on Saturday, running in the colours of Carlton Watson for trainer Johnny Wilmot, EDDIE'S PRINCESS will definitely appreciate 1400 metres, the trip at which she has run three of her best races, including her maiden win.

Last time out, she was noted doing her best work late against BALLERINA STEEL, who won in 1:14.0. STAR landed division two of the event in the exact time and YO LOVE beat older non-winners-of-three, running 1:14.1, in the following race.

Facing 10 rivals, EDDIE'S PRINCESS will have some chasing to do as speed is expected from LAWS OF THE CODE, STRIKE IT LUCKY, WILLODEEN and, possibly, RAKSHA. However, she gets her preferred distance, 1400 metres, at which she broke her maiden last September, clocking 1:28.2, to get the better of MIRABILIS and ROCKDALE.

A week after beating MIRABILIS, she stepped up in class to place fifth behind SIMPLY OUTSTANDING, TEN CARATS and AURELIA'S SUMMER, going 1400 metres again. Though she reared at the start EDDIE'S PRINCESS ran a creditable 1:28.3, confirming her consistency at the distance.

She followed up that race with a good run at 1300 metres, three weeks later, beaten a length and a half, gaining, behind MALACHI.

Returning at 1400 metres, nine days later, EDDIE'S PRINCESS reared again when placing fifth, losing by a length and three-quarter to RAMBUNCTIOUS LINKS, COUNCIL OF TRENT and WINTER IS COMING, all colts, who battled out the finish in a three-way photo won in 1:27.2.

PEYTON'S DELIGHT should be EDDIE'S PRINCESS' main threat at the business end of the race. She finished four and three quarter lengths behind EDDIE'S PRINCESS when both were beaten by BALLERINA STEEL, coming home under the weirdest of rides from Aaron Chatrie, leaving stall eight to go to the rail at the half mile, then pulled out from there to race wide, straightening eight-wide at the top of the lane.