Clive Robinson
Horses for courses is an axiom often use in the world of horseracing because so many horses do have their preferences and run better at one particular track.
Occasionally, though, one finds a horse who is equally at home on any track, as long as the distance is right. That is undoubtedly the case with four-year-old filly Emerald Princess who uncannily won three successive race and finished a close-up second on four different tracks two over 1450m and the couple over 1400m.
She started with an unlucky 0.30-length second behind JP Two Thousand over 1450m on the Turffontein Inside track. She suffered interference in the closing stage and lodged an objection which was overruled.
The four-year-old daughter of Gimmethegreenlight then went on to beat Toto’s Dream over 1450m on the Vaal Classic track, followed by a 0.40-length victory over Special Variety in a 1400m race on the Turffontein Standside track.
In her next start, she was taken down to Hollywoodbets Scottsville in KwaZulu-Natal where she went on to beat Chelsea Flower by 1.90 lengths, again over 1400m.
A few days after that victory Champion Trainer Paul Peter relinquished his trainer’s licence and Emerald Princess relocated to Sean Tarry’s yard.
She has had one run for her new stable in which she ran an encouraging 2.20 lengths behind Golden Aspen over 1200m.
On Tuesday, however, Emerald Princess reverts to a 1450m race on the Turffontein Inside track when she lines up in Race 7, a MR 94 Handicap for fillies and mares.
This is a very competitive event and Emerald Princess has unfortunately landed the widest draw in this 11-horse field but Tarry has pulled out a secret weapon in the form of jockey Muzi Yeni, who rode her in all four of her previous races and clearly has built up a good rapport with the filly.
While she is not short of talented opposition, the runner who might provide the biggest threat is Rosenwind from the Ashley Fortune. This Flower Alley filly has raced four times for three wins and a third place behind What A Honey. That race followed an 11-month layoff, so she clearly needed the run, but in her next start she was fitted with blinkers and easily beat Aga Heat by two lengths.
Rosenwind goes 1450m for the first time but on breeding that should not hold too many fears for her connections and jockey Ryan Munger.
