News

Rock Princess backs up a winner

15th Jun 2013

Racing Network - Adrian Dunn - Saturday, 15 June 2013

Chris Hyland’s decision early today to back-up Rock Princess paid dividends when the mare finished strongly to win the Adapt Australia Handicap at Moonee Valley.

But, Hyland admitted he thought Rock Princess, which ran at Sportingbet Park last Wednesday, would strike a wetter track than Moonee Valley served up.

However, Rock Princess handled the conditions well and was gifted a great ride by in-form apprentice Ben Knobel.

“She is a good trying horse and Ben rode her well,” Hyland said.

“He probably got back a bit too far on Wednesday and he came in and said ‘I probably left her too much to do’.

“And, in a way that helped her today. She was led off the pony for three days and this morning she okay so we thought we would have another crack.”

Rock Princess, backed from $8 to $7, swept home to a two and a quarter length win from Alberani, heavily supported from $3.20 to $2.70 favourite, with a head to Spin The Bottle, $11, third.

Alberani, a winner at Sportingbet Park last Wednesday, was given every chance, but was unable to hold out Rock Princess.

Hyland said Rock Princess would return to Moonee Valley in a fortnight for the Travis Harrison Apprentices Cup.

Rock Princess was purchased by Hyland for $62,500 from the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale.Victory at Mooee Valley on Saturday took the galloper's earnings to $185,306.