June 20, Arm A Princess
The uncertainty of racing was never more evident than in the Sky Racing Two-Year-Old Fillies Southern Cross heat one (1800m) at Globe Derby Park.
It also was a case of race manners being important.
At acceptance time, only five fillies accepted and on race morning Jolt To Life was taken out leaving a field of four.
Despite the low field number, it still looked an exciting event with Ellen Louise, Arm A Princess and Shania Black all having displayed ability.
At 4pm on Saturday afternoon, trainer Ray Holberton went down to his stable to discover Ellen Louise had put a foot through a fence incurring a bad cut on a leg.
“It was devastating,” Holberton said. “We have problem with fowls coming around the stables and I think she may have kicked out at one and put the leg through the fence.”
So it was down to a race in three with punters jumping on the Barry Finnis-trained Shania Black, a winner of her only two starts, sending her out a $1.40 favourite, ahead of the Lance Holberton-trained Arm A Princess ($2.50) with Greg Howard’s Cullens Cam the outsider at $10.20.
Punters looked to be on the mark at gate release with Shania Black, driven by Jayson Finnis, going to the front from Arm A Princess with Cullens Cam third.
But within 200 metres, Shania Black fired up and was proving hard to restrain and then galloped.
Finnis was able to get the filly back pacing but in the interim Mark Webster went to the front on Arm A Princess.
Finnis hoped to take the trail but his filly fired up again and he was forced to come off but Webster wasn’t going to give up the lead and she was outside the leader for the last lap.
Arm A Princess set a solid tempo and the bad manners told on Shania Black.
Arm A Princess drew away to win easily by 38.5 metres with Cullens Cam taking second, 11-1/2 metres in front of the tiring Shania Black.
Holberton has been delighted with the progress of his filly and the win was her fourth from 10 starts with two seconds and two thirds as well.
