China Horse Club has received an immediate return on the $1.7 million the global racing and breeding operation shelled out to acquire grade 2-winning mare Princess Grace last November, after the 6-year-old won the April 22 Hawkesbury Gold Crown (G3).
The US-bred mare, who is by Japanese stallion and Breeders' Cup winner Karakontie , is set to continue her career and be campaigned in Australia next season in a bid to capture a thus far elusive elite-level success, despite having placed three times in grade 1 company in America.
Having finished third on her Australian debut in the Sapphire Stakes (G2) a fortnight ago, Princess Grace was the beneficiary yesterday of a superb ride from Nash Rawiller, who settled the Chris Waller-trained mare three pairs back on the fence, before threading her through the slightest of gaps in the straight and exploding clear to win by a comfortable length and three-quarters.
The next three finishers were all split by a nose, with Expat finishing second, getting the better of Dalchini in third and Tycoon Evie, who finished fourth.
"Nash gave her a beautiful ride. It looked a bit dicey but there's no better man to have onboard than Nash when you're in a bit of a tight spot," said Waller's assistant trainer Charlie Duckworth.
China Horse Club's decision to continue racing Princess Grace into her 7-year-old year means progression towards the Tattersall's Tiara (G1), the final group 1 of the season for fillies and mares at Eagle Farm in June, is unlikely, with group 1 features such as the Empire Rose Stakes (G1) in the spring a more probable next target.
Princess Grace, who is the first foal out of the stakes-placed sprinter-miler Masquerade, had not raced below a mile in the U.S., where she earned seven wins from 14 starts, including victories in the Mrs. Revere Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs and the Yellow Ribbon Handicap (G2) at Del Mar in 2021.
The mare's final race in the US was when third in the First Lady Stakes (G1) at Keeneland behind three-time grade 1 winner In Italian, who is out of the Australian-bred mare Florentina.
"You'd be thinking at races around the mile and the fillies and mares group 1s in the spring, might be the path for her. Her brilliance might have gotten her through today, but we didn't quite realize how much she had in hand," Duckworth said. "She's an awesome prospect to have, and thank you to China Horse Club for trusting us with her."
Michael Smith, who after the departure of Mick Wallace from China Horse Club in December 2021 has been tasked with managing and purchasing the organization's southern hemisphere bloodstock, said the mare was a 'long-term proposition' for the Teo Ah Khing-owned operation.
"I thought she had a great profile," Smith told ANZ Bloodstock News of her purchase at the Fasig-Tipton November Breeding Stock Sale last year. She was a very consistent performer and had a great racing style—she can be ridden on-speed or off-speed—and had done everything bar win a group 1.
"On the back of what (Coolmore Classic winner) Lighthouse and (dual group 1 winner) Con Te Partiro had done over here, we thought it was a great opportunity to try and bring her down here, win that group 1, and race for some excellent prize money.
"She has a great pedigree, being an outcross to Danehill down here, so the plan is to race her for another year and retire her to the broodmare band next year. She's an apex physical as well, in my opinion. You wouldn't see a better put-together horse than her. She's the complete package."
