Don’t be hoodwinked by Princess Amelie - trial shows she’s got plenty more to give

Just wait ’til the blinkers go on and she’ll be all go!

That was Robbie Hannam’s prediction after Princess Amelie trialled smartly at Foxton today, running second without being put under any pressure.

Sent over 1000 metres with five rivals in an open catchweight heat, Princess Amelie showed superior speed to easily jump to the front for Hannam.

“She led and, without blinkers on, was pricking her ears from left to right and coasted to the line nicely, pipped on the line,” Hannam said.

Despite being lazy, Princess Amelie was just three-quarters of a length behind Fraser Auret’s winner Whata Red Prince, who clocked 1:02.9 in the slow 9 conditions.

Trainer Lisa Latta will now send her to the races, either at Awapuni on September 14 or, depending on track conditions, Taupo on September 20, when she will be hard to beat.

Robbie Hannam was all smiles before Platinum Road’s heat today but left ruing his bad luck afterwards.Road block

Platinum Road could also be a good odds winner when he resumes at Otaki on September 26 after finishing hard held in his three-year-old catchweight heat over 1000 metres.

Platinum Road sat third but was hampered most of the way up the home straight by the riderless The Gaffin, who came out of the gates without Rosie Myers.

Hannam was kept in restricted room and later said he could have won the heat with a clear run. As it was he was still only one and three-quarter lengths behind winner Grand Prospect in 1:02.46.

Latta favours a maiden 1200 metres at Otaki for his resumption when the Declaration Of War colt should be ready to show his true worth.

He ran fourth and sixth in two strong stakes races at Trentham and Te Rapa in his only two starts last season.

Lincoln Green pictured before his trial at Foxton today.Green for go

Lincoln Green looked to be in for a good season when he too trialled nicely.

The Ferlax four-year-old contested a seven-horse open catchweight heat over 1200 metres and impressed Hannam with everything he did.

“He lobbed to the front beautifully and travelled sweetly all the way.

“I brought him out to the better part of the track in the run home - we wanted to experiment and make sure he wasn’t going to do anything wrong - and he travelled a treat right to the line.”

Hannam said Lincoln Green came under a little bit of pressure late but was under a very nice hold at the finish.

The heat was run in 1:17.2, winner Bonny Ezra holding two and a half lengths over Hank Moody, with another length and a quarter to Lincoln Green.

Trainer Lisa Latta said Lincoln Green would take a lot of improvement out of the trial, his first since he last raced on May 16 when he had an atrial fibrillation.

“We will trial at Foxton again on September 17 before heading back to the races.”

Classy stayer Platinum Invador made a good start at the trials today.Classy stayer Platinum Invador will also trial again on September 17 after doing everything Latta wanted today.

Platinum Invador settled last in the seven-horse heat over 1000 metres and was well held by Hannam at the line, beating one home.

Hannam said he rode the horse quietly to instructions.

“Just after we turned for home he got into stride nicely and I thought it was a very encouraging run fresh-up over only 1000 metres.”

Said Latta: “ It was a nice trial and just what I was hoping for.

“He will take a lot of natural improvement from it.”

Trial winner Miss Contessa clocked 1:01.81, beating Darscape Princess by one and a half lengths.

Back in autumn

Classy galloper Lincoln Falls will be turned out for a spell, and brought back in the autumn, after a vet check on Monday confirmed very minor damage to his near foreleg tendon.

Vet Tim Pearce found a small hole in his tendon and gave a very positive prognosis for his full recovery, thanks to trainer Lisa Latta’s early detection of the injury.