Sterling Prince continues spring success
The spring success for Sterling Prince struck gold over the weekend with a win in the prestigious Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2500m) Group 3 race at Flemington. One of only two kiwi bred, kiwi owned and kiwi trained to have success at the carnival!
This season has seen Sterling Prince mature and grow into every breeders dream. He is a home bred horse still owned by breeder Max Armstrong from Otaki out of Sterling Princess (One Pound Sterling) who had moderate success with 3 wins herself.
Sterling Prince’s original campaign was to work towards the Kelt Capital in October and with a 3rd in the Mudgeway Gr1 followed up with a 3rd in the Windsor Plate Gr 1, he was looking good. Unfortunately, he only managed to finish a creditable 6th in the Kelt Capital but that still took his career earnings to close to $300,000.
Undeterred, trainer Wayne Hillis and owner Max Armstrong then took the horse to Australia to qualify for the Melbourne Cup and his first up 3rd in the Geelong Cup Gr 3 where he went out favourite was a great start. Sterling Prince had to win the VRC Lexus S. Gr.3 to qualify for the big race but only managed to come 5th in a tight race where as jockey Hugh Bowman reflected later “It wasn’t ideal going to the front the other day but I wasn’t left with many options. He’s a real staying type.” The Lexus was won by Shocking who went on to win the Melbourne Cup which certainly says much about the quality of the 5th placing.
In the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, the horse settled into fourth place behind race leader Alexander of Hales who set a strong early pace. Jockey Hugh Bowman had to take Sterling Prince out three or four wide to clear the way for his strong finish where he crossed the line two lengths ahead of the others. This was Sterling Prince’s first win over a mile although he has had numerous placings in top company at that distance. The win takes his career earnings to over NZ $505,000 with 5 wins, 5 seconds and 9 placings from 28 starts.
His win on the weekend has apparently qualified him to start in next year’s Melbourne Cup. Hillis apparently commented “I think he’s going to be better next year. Having a run round here this year, he’ll know the course when we come back next year. He’ll be stronger for the experience.”
Immediate plans are for Sterling Prince to fly back to NZ in preparation for yet another overseas trip as he has been nominated for the Hong Kong Vase, a HK$14,000,000 Gr 1 race over 2400 m in mid December.
Colombia connection
Sterling Prince makes it four stakes winners for the NZ bred sire Colombia who stands at Longspring Stud in the Wairarapa. Colombia by Zabeel is out of Broodmare of the Year 3 years running Eight Carat who produced five Group 1 winners including Octagonal 1996 Australian Horse of the Year, Marquise, Diamond Lover, Kaapstad and Mouawad. Colombia was a $1.6 million dollar yearling at the 1998 Karaka Sales and while unraced due to an injury, there is no arguing about the quality of Colombia’s genetic potential to produce performers at all levels and all distances.
The win has been a bit of a bonus to breeders Rupert & Anne Vallance at Longspring Stud with two more mares booking in the Sunday after the race. Sterling Prince’s owner Max Armstrong has sent two half sisters to Sterling Prince to keep the winning formula going. Other mares of note to visit Colombia this spring include Saveur, a half sister to the sire sensation Jeune (who won the Melbourne Cup in 1994) who has a Colombia colt at foot and Mon Cheri, the dam of Group 3 winner Bashful (O’Reilly) who has a Zed colt foal at foot.
Colombia is now listed on the NZ Thoroughbred Marketing website as one of only 12 active New Zealand-based stallions who have achieved black type winners in Australia, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore and Malaysia so far this season – the others being Don Eduardo, High Chaparral, Keeper, O'Reilly, Pentire, Pins, Thorn Park, Towkay, Viking Ruler, Volksraad and Zabeel.