Her ability to master the extra distance of the Gr.1 gavelhouse.com New Zealand Bloodstock 1000 Guineas (1600m) has been questioned, but her latest performance at Ashburton provided an emphatic reply.
Prom Queen scored a hollow victory, her eighth from nine starts, in Saturday's
Gr.3 Barneswood Farm Stakes (1400m) and was full of running at the post.Kenny Rae, who trains the daughter of Super Easy with his wife Lisa and their daughter Krystal Williams, can't see what all the fuss is about.
"I've never, ever worried about her going a mile," he said. "Against her own age group she's got too much class. She'll go straight to the Guineas now."
As a result of her Ashburton display, Prom Queen's odds for the November 18 feature have been slashed from $6 to $2.50.
Ridden by Sam Collett, who was deputising for her suspended cousin Alysha, Prom Queen flew the gates to lead before Let Her Rip Riley went around to lead under a hapless Rafi Firdhaus, whose saddle slipped soon after barrier rise.
"She's tractable, but I was mindful of not getting pocketed so I got outside the leader," Collett said.
Prom Queen was in front again at the top of the straight and she scooted clear to beat Sensei by two and a-quarter lengths with Age Of Fire three further lengths back in third.
"She's not a hard to filly to ride and Alysha has done all the work on her," Collett said. "They're going to be hard-pressed to beat her in the Guineas." – NZ Racing Desk.
