A 2016 Grafton Cup berth is on the line for Foreign Prince when the talented gelding lines up for his first start over a mile and a half in Saturday’s Listed Winter Cup (2400m) at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse.
Foreign Prince will line up in Saturday’s Listed Winter Cup at Rosehill Gardens. Photo: Steve Hart
Foreign Prince took a couple of starts to find form upon resuming this time for ninth in the Schweppes BM93 (1350m) and eighth in the Neville Begg BM93 (1400m), but will be seeking a third-consecutive win in the Winter Cup having taken out each of the Thomson Reuters Tax Handicap (1800m) and Kensei Handicap (2000m) most recently.
Having clearly relished a continual step up in distance, trainer David Payne told AAP he is hoping the son of High Chaparral can find a good position off pace in the Winter Cup and prove he is in fact capable of running out the distance of the race.
“I want to give him every chance to get the 2400 metres so I will be telling the stewards we don’t want him to lead,” Payne said.
“I want to see him settle. We have put Jason on simply because it is a non-claiming race.
“If the horse does prove he can get over the distance we will take him to Grafton.”
Foreign Prince has posted a number of commendable results through a consistent racing career so far; claiming seven wins and a further six minors through twenty-eight starts since an impressive debut for fourth behind the likes of Complacent and Aussies Love Sport in a Warwick Farm minor over 1400m in July, 2013.
Continuing to impressive through a strong and consistent 2014 campaign, Foreign Prince made his first appearance in a black type race in the 2015 edition of the Listed National Sprint (1400m) and finished a credible sixth behind Snippets Land and Mighty Lucky.
Having placed fifth in the Group 2 Shannon Stakes (1500m) most notably through a subsequent spring start, the rising six-year-old appeared to be on track for an ideal preparation cap when leading the talent-rich Filante Handicap (1600m) into the final straight at Randwick on October 24th, but faded late to beat only one runner home.
Included amongst a list of only seven nominations on Monday, Foreign Prince will be confirmed in a small 2016 Winter Cup field by midday, today (June 29th).
