War Princess (NZ) Completes Carnival Clean Sweep

Manawatu mare War Princess (NZ) (US Navy Flag) has made three trips to the Hawke’s Bay Spring Carnival in recent weeks and has come away with three wins, culminating in a gargantuan performance to take out Saturday’s $120,000 Group Three Timberspan Spring Sprint (1400m).

War Princess was bred by Don and Dame Wendy Pye and was a member of Haunui Farm’s draft in Book 2 of Karaka 2024, where Exempt Bloodstock and Peter Didham Racing bought her for $77,500. She has had 14 starts for eight wins, a placing and $471,610 in stakes – six times her purchase price.

Trainers Peter and Trent Didham guided War Princess through a three-win campaign as a three-year-old last season, headed by a victory in the Group Three Eulogy Stakes (1600m). She also ran second in the Listed O’Learys Fillies’ Stakes (1340m) and fourth in the $1.5m TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m).

War Princess has a perfect three-from-three record so far as a four-year-old, kicking off with a smart victory over 1200 metres at Hastings on September 12 and another impressive success over 1300 metres at the same venue two weeks later.

The Spring Sprint presented a much more difficult task, coming up against a high-class field. That task only grew more difficult when jockey Craig Grylls found himself caught three wide and covering plenty of extra ground through the middle stages of the race.

But War Princess was still able to quicken in the home straight, gradually getting the better of the favourite Affirmative Action (Yes Yes Yes) and prevailing by a head.

“I couldn’t get in and was wide the whole way,” Grylls said. “I got some cover coming to the bend with the second horse (Affirmative Action) dragging me into it.

“I got up to him, but he kicked and she really had to find something. It was a tough performance, and she is a proper racehorse in the making.

“She did come off the bridle, but I knew I had more there. She’s just so willing and wants to do it.”

Peter Didham was proud of his stable star’s Hawke’s Bay Spring Carnival heroics.

“We had a plan that we were going to give her three runs and then turn her out and bring her back after Christmas,” he said. “That’s when we think she’s at her best.

“She’s only just turned four (foaled 10 October 2022), so this was a very tough effort, up in class.

“When you saw her out the back today, she was ready to go, and that’s due to our fantastic staff. Toni (Davies) rode her on Tuesday and said she galloped better than she had for the start before.

“She has won eight from 14 starts, which is pretty amazing, and she probably should have won another, so we are really proud of her.

“She will go out for two weeks now. There are some really nice fillies and mares’ races after Christmas, although plans do change in racing.”

The Spring Sprint produced a Book 2 quinella, with runner-up Affirmative Action being a $115,000 purchase by Ballymore Stables, Paul Moroney Bloodstock and Catheryne Bruggeman from Book 2 of Karaka 2024. His 10-race career has produced two wins, five placings and $447,225 in stakes.

Vendor	Haunui Farm
Purchaser	Exempt Bloodstock/Peter Didham Racing (Auckland)
Breeding	US Navy Flag – Royal Appellant
Sale	Lot 925, Karaka 2024 Book 2, $77,500
Breeder	Don Pye & Dame Wendy Pye
Owner	Chelsea Connections Ltd, Brendon & Debbie Hart & Exempt Bloodstock Ltd