Princess Victoria
Red tape and delays associated with export requirements have meant that champion filly Princess Victoria is likely to make a welcome appearance in the forthcoming Champions Season in KwaZulu Natal.
Trainer Glen Kotzen said that he had experienced a rollercoaster of emotions on learning that the connections of the daughter of Victory Moon had decided that she would be relocating to the USA, with the plans of eventually being covered by a top American stallion.
“Horses like this magnificent filly are the reason trainers get up at ungodly hours in the middle of winter, and I was obviously very disappointed to hear that she would be continuing her career overseas.
“But the honour and pride of having been associated with a champion of her stature has not been lost on us, and while the experts sort out the statutory and scientific requirements of the export process, I am preparing her for a planned assault on the Gr2 Tibouchina Stakes and then the Gr1 Garden Province Stakes on July day,if things go to plan,” he said.
While Kotzen said that he preferred to leave the experts to their speciality, and would not be drawn on the specifics of the export issue, he said he believed that Racing South Africa were providing their full support and were mindful of the need for a USA protocol as well as an EU protocol.
He said that he had been informed that the Breeders Cup were in close liaison with the USDA and added that the matter was in the capable hands of Northfields Bloodstock’s Robin Bruss.
Terrific Job
Kotzen, who has two powerful provincial yards in the Western Cape and KwaZulu Natal, has done a terrific job with the Equus Champion Princess Victoria. The Maine Chance Farms product is a winner of 9 of her 14 starts from 1000m to a mile. Her victories include four Gr1’s as well two Gr2’s and a Gr3 event.
Her poor run in the Gr1 SA Fillies Sprint at Scottsville at end of May last year, when she finished seventh behind Ebony Flyer, had attracted a lot of speculation in the media about the state of the going and the riding tactics adopted. Kotzen said that he was intrigued to read an interview in the Sporting Post with her rider in that race, Sean Cormack.
He dismissed Cormack’s suggestion that the leading jockey was a ‘scapegoat for a disappointing run’. Cormack said in the interview that ‘if those same critics had seen her final workout leading up to that race, they wouldn’t have been wearing their ‘blame the Jockey’ T-shirts’.
“I find Sean’s comment puzzling indeed. At no stage did he indicate that he was not happy with Princess Victoria’s preparation prior to this important race. To the contrary he was singing her praises and indicated that on her preparation she was close to unbeatable,” he said.
Endorsed
Kotzen added that Cormack was not the only person to work the Princess prior to the race, and their KZN assistant Frikkie Greyling (himself a former jockey) had also ridden her and endorsed Cormack’s sentiment that she felt unbelievable.
“Princess Victoria was examined thoroughly by our medical team prior to and after the race and nothing was detected on inspection, blood test or scope. In fact the first I heard of her ‘poor final workout’ was the morning after the race, when I contacted Sean telephonically and asked him for feedback. “This was our first contact since the race, and I initiated the call as I wished to report fully to the owners,” he said.
When pressed on riding tactics, Kotzen said that he did not want to harp on history but felt that a misconception had been created in the Cormack interview. He was adamant that he had repeatedly given instructions to race the filly on the inside of the track, knowing that the going was superior there.
“A jockey who had lost a race on a favourite, by choosing to race on the outside of the track earlier in the day had confirmed that the going was poor and even a vastly experienced jockey in Kevin Shea had confirmed that the going on the inside of the track was far better. In the end, my instructions were not adhered to,” he said.
The Race
He went on to explain the race as if it was yesterday: “During the running , the field split into two packs. Sean opted to go with the outside pack and when he went to make his move he had a further option to go in or out and he switched her out even further and pulled her right to the outside of the track , where the going was very poor and she subsequently ran unplaced.
“She had no company whatsoever and began to hang towards the horses on her inside and Ebony Flyer, who was drawn next to her, went in and won about 5 widths off the inside rail,” he lamented.
Kotzen said that he personally had drawn criticism from various quarters, including the owners who were naturally displeased with the ride.
“We were asking questions as to how a filly that had performed so well and who was unbeaten up the Scottsville straight, get beaten so comprehensively? At that stage of her career she was unbeaten up the straight,” he said.
Great Record
Princess Victoria had 4 starts in the KZN Champions Season last year and won 3 and was only beaten in this race. “I ran her two weeks later in the Gr 2 Tibouchina Stakes which she won. Sean had no part in her preparation,” he said.
Kotzen said he and Cormack parted company amicably and by mutual agreement. Five weeks later Princess Victoria went on to win the Gr 1 Garden Province with Anton Marcus aboard. In what is a race against time, she goes for the big double this season!
