Royalty! Andrew Fortune poses as Princess Victoria wins the Champagne Stakes in style (Equine Edge)
There is no stopping pure brilliance! Glen Kotzen’s Victory Moon mare Princess Victoria retired from racing in a blaze of glory as she disposed of her opposition in facile fashion to win the R150 000 Gr3 Champagne Stakes run over 1200m at Kenilworth on Saturday.
While the magnitude of the prize and status of the race were of some significance to her already enormous paddock value, the immense satisfaction of the win for her trainer Glen Kotzen, amidst the ups and downs of a win drought that has extended since July day 2012, was tangible.
The swan song victory of the Equus champion was also of major impact for jockey Andrew Fortune, who rode her four times for four wins.
Fortune was so overcome by the win that he saluted in triumph a few strides from the post, and will probably not be too concerned that the moment of heady elation cost him R1000 of his riding commission, courtesy of the stipes.
But the afternoon was all about the smashing mare, who has a special place in the hearts of her connections, and the punting public who installed her a 9 to 10 favourite in a smart field of female sprinters.
The Mike Bass trained Fly By Night flyjumped and ruined her chances at the start by losing many lengths.
The Princess’ stablemate The Which Doctor blazed her way up front as Fortune had the favourite settled four lengths adrift, but going very well.
At about the 700m Sean Cormack grabbed a mini march on Victorian Secret who pinched four lengths. But Fortune was wide awake and he kept his mount in touch.
Into the final 400m Victorian Secret came forward smartly as Princess Victoria appeared to hit a brief flat spell down the inside, as Fortune became quite animated in the saddle.
But it took only a matter of 100m for the lovely mare to find her stride and she powered on to win unextended.
Princess Victoria won by 1,25 lengths in a time of 75,61 secs.
Victorian Secret stayed on well for second, while La Patineuse ran a cracker in third, just ahead of Miss Saigon.
Glen Kotzen, who had the winner looking a million dollars, said that having a good horse brought a lot of pressure to bear, but that it had been a privilege to train her.
Privilege. Andrew Fortune rode the winner
Kotzen said that Princess Victoria had been unlucky in stages but that she had been brought back slowly and he was thrilled that she had gone out on a high.
Andrew Fortune said that he was privileged to have ridden a horse of this calibre, and that he had never felt that she would not win. He then quipped : “ I somehow think I was made to ride these horses!”
The Maine Chance Farms bred Princess Victoria is a daughter of Victory Moon out of the unraced Rakeen mare, Platinum Princess.
She has won 10 races and been placed 4 times from her 18 starts.
Glen Kotzen has done a terrific job with the Equus Champion Princess Victoria. She is a winner of four Gr1’s as well two Gr2’s and two Gr3 races.
She took her earnings to R2 178 592.
We look forward to being entertained by Princess Victoria’s progeny in the years to come. She is certainly getting a kick start in the paddocks as word has it that she may well be visiting champion Silvano soon.
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Champagne S. (SAf-G3) (8/10)
Kenilworth, South Africa, August 10, R150.000, 1200m, turf, soft, 1.15.61
PRINCESS VICTORIA (SAF), 60.0, b m 5, Victory Moon (SAF) – Platinum Princess (SAF) by Rakeen (USA ) . Owner PG de Beyer & Maine Chance; breeder Maine Chance; trainer GS Kotzen; jockey A Fortune (R93.750) Victorian Secret (SAF), 60.0, b f 4, Captain Al (SAF) – Spring Lilac (SAF) by Joshua Dancer (USA) La Patineuse (SAF), 60.0, b m 5, National Emblem (SAF) – La Patoneur (SAF) by Badger Land (USA) Margins: 1¼, 1¾, ½
