Eddie's Princess gets fresh start at 1,400 metres

EDDIE'S PRINCESS reports from a new barn on Saturday, running in the colours of Carlton Watson for trainer Johnny Wilmot, after her good second-place finish two weeks ago behind BALLERINA STEEL at 1200 metres.

Taking her place among four-year-olds and upwards, non-winners of two races, for the 1400-metre Jockeys' Guild Trophy, EDDIE'S PRINCESS now gets her preferred distance after closing best of the rest behind BALLERINA STEEL at 1200 metres.

Trained by Ryan Darby up to two Wednesdays ago, EDDIE'S PRINCESS broke her maiden last September at 1400 metres, clocking 1:28.2, to get the better of MIRABILIS and ROCKDALE. She won at odds of 5-1 with Javaniel Patterson, who has been a fixture aboard the dark bay mare and has accompanied her to Wilmot's barn, almost as if it was a package deal.

Begging for a distance of ground in her last three races, twice gaining at 1200 metres with a 1000-metre straight sixth-place finish between those dates, EDDIE'S PRINCESS will definitely appreciate the trip at which she has run three of her best races, including her maiden win.

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.

Though she performed poorly when stretched out in three races to close last season, EDDIE'S PRINCESS appears to have regained form in as many outings this year. 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, it is the closer, PEYTON'S DELIGHT, who should be EDDIE'S PRINCESS' main threat at the business end of the race.

PEYTON'S DELIGHT 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 wide from there to straighten eight-wide at the top of the lane.