First Stakes Win for Dark Princess

Media Release - Saturday October 27

Progressive mare Dark Princess continued her rise up the ranks with her first victory at stakes level when successful in Saturday's Group III Gee & Hickton Thompson Handicap (1600m) at Trentham.

Dark Princess - Race ImagesThe Cape Blanco five-year-old caught the eye with a barnstorming finish to win at Hastings over the same distance at her last start.

That convinced punters to send her out as a $5.30 favourite in Saturday's contest where she dashed clear over the final 100m in the hands of Lisa Allpress to down gallant topweight Dolcetto with former Australian galloper Raw Impulse closing off nicely to snatch third.

"She's still a work in progress but she's got a touch of class about her," trainer Jeff Lynds said.

"The little bit of rain on the track helped her but we did think she was up to the class now that she has fully matured.

"As long as she comes through this run well we will be able to look at some more ambitious targets but at this stage I don't really have a firm plan."

Earlier in the day the Stephen Marsh trained first starter Exuberant made a winning debut with a gritty victory in the Listed Hanley Formula Wellesley Stakes (1000m).

Sporting the familiar colours of syndication specialist, Go Racing, the Savabeel colt was a $160,000 purchase by Albert Bosma from the Book 1 draft of Waikato Stud at the National Yearling Sale earlier in the year.

Advertisement

A stylish win at the Ruakaka trials earlier in the month had the showy youngster regarded as a leading chance in the two-year-old feature and he didn't disappoint when he prevailed in a thrilling finish with fellow Cambridge raider Last Sight.

"To do that at your first start, to come to a Listed race and take it out shows he is a pretty classy animal," Marsh stable representative Todd Pollard said.

"They are fantastic, Albert and the team, they do a great job and we've had quite a few nice ones for them so it's great to have them in the stable.

"He's a gorgeous horse, not overly big but he looks like he could be quite a classy customer."

Exuberant is the second foal of ill-fated O'Reilly mare Merrily and hails from a family that includes the brilliant Black Caviar in his extended pedigree. – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Te Akau Win G3 War Decree Stakes with Snitzel Filly
Te Akau Racing made a blistering start to the afternoon across both New Zealand meetings on Saturday, racking up six wins in a three-hour period including with a pair of potential candidates for next month’s Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m).
First Winner for Home Affairs
Exciting young sire Home Affairs opened his account with his first winner in New Zealand on Saturday with a dominant debut victory for race favourite Harvey Wallbanger at Ellerslie.
Invincible Colt Wins $1million G2 Callander Presnell for Godolphin
Progressive I Am Invincible colt Ohope won the $1million ATC Tapp Craig (1400m) at his previous start, however was not rewarded officially with Black Type for that result, but he did achieve stakes-winner status at Randwick on Saturday when scoring a determined win over quality colt Rivellino in the $1million ATC Callander Presnell (1600m).
VRC Derby Favourite Strengthens His Chances With G2 Vase Win
When breaking his maiden by five lengths at just his second start last season, Ghaiyyath's colt Observer looked to have above average ability, but it was his third last start in the Group 1 MRC Caulfield Guineas (1600m) that had everybody talking about the exciting prospect.
Lindermann Cracks $4million in Earnings
Gelded after losing form following his tenacious victory in the 2023 Group I ATC Rosehill Guineas, the Chris Waller trained Lindemann has embraced life as a gelding and has been on fire this spring racking up a series of lucrative wins including the $750,000 Group III ATC Craven Plate (1800m) at Randwick on Saturday.
G2 McEwen Stakes To Jigsaw - Fifth Black Type Victory
A previous Group 2 winner at Moonee Valley a few years back, Jigsaw’s connections would’ve headed into Saturday’s Group 2 MVRC McEwen Stakes (1200m) with a level of confidence despite tackling last start Group 1 MVRC Manikato Stakes winner Charm Stone.
Von Hauke Wins G2 Crystal Mile - Half-Brother NZB Ready to Run
The Cliff Brown-trained Von Hauke swamped his rivals late under a patient rider from Ethan Brown to land the Gr.2 Crystal Mile (1600m) at The Valley on Saturday.
Oaks Dream for Bargain Buy Staying Filly
Blanco Belle will face an early test in black type company on Saturday and her performance at Wanganui could fuel a longer-term dream of an Australian classic.
Blueblood Lonhro Colt Wins G1 Spring Champion
At the start of August we ran a story about the 3YO’s that were entered for this year Cox Plate and aside from the usual suspects there were some ‘Cox Plate dreamers’ and one of them was unraced Lonhro colt Attica, who capped his meteoric rise to fame with a thrilling victory in the $2million Group I ATC Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on Saturday.
2025 Cox Plate Result - Fastnet Rock and Waller Quinella
A genuine champion sire should be able to produce the horses that win the very best races in the country in which they stand and the late great Fastnet Rock have us a demonstration of that when his high class Northern Hemisphere bred offspring Via Sistina (IRE) and Buckaroo (GB) fought out an epic finish to the $6million Group I MVRC WS Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday.