Sydney Racing’s showpiece Autumn Carnival may be over but China Horse Club’s run of group wins is not. After a carnival that included four G1s headlined by Militarize (1st G1 ATC Sires Produce Stakes, 1st G1 Champagne Stakes) and supported by Artorius (1st G1 Canterbury Stakes) and home bred Communist (1st Randwick Guineas), the emergence of high-profile mare Princess Grace is heaven sent.
The U.S. bred mare is the culmination of a long planned, well researched strategy to source elite American racing mares to target Australia’s rich racing circuits on the east coast. That Princess Grace, under the care of champion trainer Chris Waller and expertly handled by jockey Nash Rawiller, has acclimatized so quickly and performed so well augurs well for the next 12 months where she is expected to target spring and autumn features.
Princess Grace
Saturday’s AUD200,000 G3 Hawkesbury Crown was only the second Australian start for the striking near black mare. Her win, by a widening 1.7 lengths, was missed by none of the good judges nor by her brains trust.
“I think she’s pretty special,” said Mike Smith, China Horse Club’s Australasian Representative.
“She’d never run below a mile before she got to Australia, and she’s Group 2-placed and a Group 3 winner over 1200m and 1300m respectively now, so I think once we get up to a more suitable distance, she’ll be pretty dynamic.”
(from left)Mike Smith, China Horse Club’s Australasian Representative
Smith and China Horse Club Chairman, Teo Ah Khing, led the club’s delegation to Kentucky last year to source a flagship racing and breeding prospect. At Fasig Tipton’s ‘Night of the Stars’ the world came to shop and not surprisingly demand for intense. China Horse Club parried repeated bidders away to land Princess Grace whose racing profile, outcross pedigree and flawless physique had her topping its wish list.
“We’ve seen American mares like Lighthouse and Con Te Partiro come down here [to Australia] and be successful, and Princess Grace’s form in America would have been significantly better than theirs was,” Smith told TDN’s Aus NZ.
“The US imports are typically on-speed horses, and the other thing from a long-term point of view is that American mares have also been very successful in Australia as broodmares. It’s sort of a one-two punch if you will.
“I just thought there was a great opportunity if it came off and we could put it all together. Obviously, we haven’t done it yet, but I think Saturday was a good first step.
“More than anything I’d just like to thank Mr Teo for giving me the opportunity to buy a mare like her. I’m lucky to be surrounded by such a good team and a visionary leader, and Saturday was a great first step in repaying that faith.”
The AUD1,000,000 G1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) over the Flemington Carnival is a logical target for Princess Grace later this spring with her best form at this distance. Under the care of Waller, and with further maturity, there is every chance the mare can build further upon her record of eight wins and seven placings from only 16 starts and play a lead role for China Horse Club alongside the above mentioned Militarize and Communist.
“It has been a very rewarding past few months,” Smith said.
“We had four Group 1 wins across the carnival and we had a great maiden winner at Keeneland the other day who we bought at November, Equivoque, a son of Good Magic, he looks very exciting going forward. We had August Bloom run third in the Magic Night, she looks like a very progressive filly for the spring, so we have a few different irons in the fire. Hopefully we can have more results like we have had over the carnival.”
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