23 August 2010
Former top Kiwi racemare Wealth Princess will resume racing in the Group 3 $A200,000 Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m) at Flemington on September 4.
Wealth Princess is now a member of the powerful Freedman stable in Melbourne after previously being trained by New Zealand’s Highview Stud managing director Brent Gillovic.
Last season Wealth Princess emerged as one of the best sprinters produced in New Zealand in recent years with many high-class performances including two narrow Group 1 runner-up finishes in weight-for-age events.
Bred by Victor Ngai at Highview, Wealth Princess scored a scintillating win in the Group 3 Glenlogan Park Stakes at Doomben in May and beat all but the champion Australian three-year-old filly, Melito, in the Group 1 Winter Stakes. As well she managed a gutsy third placing in the Group 2 Dane Ripper Stakes at Eagle Farm in June.
In winning her fourth race in succession at Te Rapa last summer Wealth Princess broke a 14-year old track record when she covered the 1200m journey in the smart time of 1:08.59.
During her last racing campaign Wealth Princess was sold to Sean Buckley of Ultra Thoroughbreds in Australia.
Reports from Melbourne are that Wealth Princess spelled particularly well following her brilliant last start second in the Winter Stakes behind champion Australian three-year-old filly Melito.
The mare retained a lot of her residual fitness at the end of her month-long spell and is expected to line up at Flemington next month in forward order.
Likely rivals for Wealth Princess in the Bobbie Lewis Quality include Pertubo and Gold Salute.
Following the Bobbie Lewis the plan is for the San Luis mare to contest the Group 1 $350,000 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on September 18.
