Draw not ideal, but Highfield Princess poised for more Group One laurels

Remarkable filly heads Flying Five cast at the Curragh.

Highfield Princess will have to overcome an awkward berth if she is earn a third consecutive Group One victory at the Curragh on Sunday.

With 19 runners in a deep renewal of the Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai Flying Five Stakes, those drawn high are seemingly at an historical advantage.

Highfield Princess, who followed up her Prix Maurice de Gheest victory when taking the Nunthorpe in scintillating fashion last month, is drawn in stall seven and will be ridden again by Jason Hart, who steered her to success at Deauville and York.

The five-year-old has had a busy summer, yet has looked better as the season has progressed and has won four races between five and seven furlongs in her last five starts.

Trainer John Quinn said: “She has improved every year and has improved again this year, which is great.

“She takes her racing very well and we are happy with her, but it is another Group One and a different test.

“Five furlongs at the Curragh is different to five furlongs at York. It is a different track, different ground, you have got to travel – but she is very versatile track-wise and ground-wise.

“We are going there hoping she can overcome it. I hope the draw is fine for her. Let’s hope we have some luck.”

Quinn, who is based at Settrington, North Yorkshire, says that Hart does not get the plaudits he deserves and hopes his star filly will propel him to wider recognition.

“Jason is definitely underrated. He is a very good rider and he won’t be underrated for too long, I don’t think.

“All being well, if we can jump through this hoop, I’m just going to give her a break and her last run of the year will be in the Breeders’ Cup.”

Quinn says Jason Hart (above) will not be underrated for long
Quinn says Jason Hart (above) will not be underrated for long (Richard Sellers/PA)

Highfield Princess has won 11 of her 29 starts, amassing almost GBP 820,000 in prize-money, which Quinn says is just reward for patient owner John Fairley.

“Not running at two probably helped her,” said Quinn. “But she has a great mind for racing and a very good pedigree. She is just a phenomenal animal and I’m delighted we have her.

“John has been very patient. It is very disappointing for an owner when they can’t run at two, but I think that was the making of this filly. We knew she was nice, and while we never thought she would be this good, she was backward and had we pushed her too much, she might not be where she is today.”

Last year’s Flying Five winner Romantic Proposal is on the comeback trail, having suffered a few setbacks this term.

Though a Listed winner over the same five-furlong trip at Naas in April, she was sidelined before reappearing in the July Cup, where she finished seven and a half lengths behind Alcohol Free.

Chris Hayes and Romantic Proposal bid for more Flying Five glory
Chris Hayes and Romantic Proposal bid for more Flying Five glory (Brian Lawless/PA)

Her trainer, Edward Lynam, is hoping she can bounce back following another extended break.

“She seems in good form and we’re hoping for the best,” said Lynam. “She likes the track. She wasn’t well over the summer, to be honest.

“She had been scoping dirty, was coughing and was under the weather, but she is in good form now.

“She was not well before Newmarket and she missed Royal Ascot, then after Newmarket she missed York.

“I think we are hoping to go to the Breeders’ Cup with her. She has had a quiet season so she will go there nice and fresh.”

However, the Dunshaughlin handler feels she is at a disadvantage from stall four.

“Usually, at the Curragh, on that track, it is better to be drawn high, but we are drawn where we are drawn and the best sprinter around is drawn pretty close to us, so we’ll see how we go,” added Lynam.

“It is a good renewal of the race. It would be good to see her run well and get back to something near her best, because she had a lovely start this season and was very impressive, and then unfortunately she was under the weather.”

Ebro River returns to the scene of his Group One success
Ebro River returns to the scene of his Group One success (John Walton/PA)

Ebro River, who won the Group One Phoenix Stakes over six furlongs as a juvenile and then finished third in the National Stakes for Hugo Palmer, bounced back to form at Chester in July, taking a Listed contest.

He drops back to the minimum trip, with his trainer seeing plenty of advantages.

“I was delighted with the draw (stall 18), I have to admit,” said Palmer

“When I saw 19 were left in, I thought, ‘God, I hope we have got a double-figure draw’.

“He is drawn on the right side, the rain has been coming for him all week and I’m really looking forward to running over five furlongs again – a stiff five at the Curragh, where his two career-bests have come.

“Ben Curtis, who has ridden him a bit at home and won on him at Chester has learned to understand him, so fingers crossed.

“We’re very happy with him.”

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