The Trackside Racing team have once again come home a winner with their only runner for the day, when Dakadan Princess charged home to claim the 0-68 Handicap over 1509m at Gawler today.
The mare began the new year with a bang, scoring at Morphettville, before performing respectably third-up in Saturday class last time. That run was better than it appeared on paper, as the winner Dartook has performed well in better class, and taking him out of the equation, and the Princess would have been in the finish.
The rise to a longer trip was always going to be in her favour as she settles well in the run, can relax, and is able to finish off her races with one final effort.
From the time the gates opened, it appeared things were going to pan out beautifully for stable jockey Shayne Cahill, with a position in behind the leading quintet up for grabs, but with runners kicking up on his inside, suddenly Dakadan Princess was three-wide and facing the breeze.
To the turn, and having done the hard work cutting the wind for most of the trip, Cahill started to get busy, with the heavily-backed grey Full Of Cache stalking him, and following his every move. Dakadan Princess knuckled down for the fight though, and put a length on the favourite, holding him and Magic Tigress (who has unluckily run into Minervini runners at her last two) out for the entire straight to record a tough win.
Dakadan Princess is building herself one impressive little CV! – having won three from nine career starts, and two from four this season, and what’s even more exciting, she appears she will get further! Having been only pushed to the mile on the one occasion, in her first preparation, you can now expect the mare to be tested over longer.
Congratulations for the second time in 2013, to the owners Shaun Brooker, Craig Burns, David Cavuoto, Amelio Fresi, James Harrison, Matthew Harrison, Phil Harrison, David Hill, Matthew Neve and Adam Shears.
Daniel Borg
Trackside Racing Media