Prince Eyeing Mornington Cup Crown

Just days after his younger full-sister was sold at NZB’s Select Sale, Prince of Penzance (NZ) (Pentire) produced a terrific performance to win the Listed A$121,500 Tabcorp Mornington Cup Prelude (2000m) at Caulfield on Saturday.

Prince of Penzance (NZ) winning the Listed Tabcorp Mornington Cup Prelude at Caulfield.

Trained by leading Victorian trainer Darren Weir, it was fellow Victorian trainer Henry Dwyer who purchased his full-sister (Lot 771) at the Select Sale on Thursday at Karaka for $110,000.

Prince of Penzance, a Premier Sale graduate, entered the race a winner of half of his eight career starts, and a winner at his only run over 2000m.

Starting from barrier one for rider Michelle Payne, the son of Pentire settled mid-field after fellow Karaka graduate and race-favourite Laidback Larry (NZ) (O’Reilly) had to work hard to find the lead from an outside barrier.

Payne was able to get her mount into the clear as the field straightened for the run home but was quickly joined on the outside by Oregon Spirit (Bel Esprit) and the pair went to the lead together to fight out the race. Prince of Penzance proved to be the stronger over the concluding stages and got the better of Oregon Spirit to win by three-quarters of a length, with Extra Zero (Danzero) flying into third two lengths away.

“He did win in good fashion,” commented Weir. “He is starting to put it together now. He did do a few things wrong but he is not over-racing as bad as he did.

“He has had a couple of runs at 2000m now and won them both. Hopefully when he gets to a mile-and-a-half he will be even better.”

Weir now plans to go to the Listed $350,000 Mornington Cup on Wednesday 12 February with Prince of Penzance, a race that exempts the winner from the ballot in the 2014 Group 1 Caulfield Cup.

“He will go to the Mornington Cup and if he was to win it the Caulfield Cup might become a target in the spring. We are not thinking too much about it now.”

Prince of Penzance has won five races from only nine raceday appearances and has earned $227,160 in prizemoney for his owners Galadi, Mr A Mcgregor, Dalton Racing, Men In Hats, Winning Five, Wilawl Go Racing & Mr A T Broadfoot.

Bred by Jungle Pocket Pty Ltd & Rich Hill Thoroughbreds Ltd, Prince of Penzance becomes the 40th stakes winner for the Rich Hill Stud sire Pentire. The gelding is out of imported American mare Royal Successor (Mr Prospector), a daughter of dual Group 1 winner Only Royal (Caerleon).

John Foote Bloodstock purchased Prince of Penzance as yearling from the 2011 Karaka Premier Sale for $50,000 from Rich Hill Stud.