Cliff’s Princess is all heart at Matamata

[Wandering Eyes]

Cliff Goss has many adoring words when describing Casino Princess(NZ) (Casino Prince), but there was only one to sum up her performance in the Robert Bruce Clothier Memorial (1600m) at Matamata on Wednesday, tough.

Casino Princess has put the 93-year-old horseman’s name up in lights over recent months, with a streak of consistent displays culminating in the Listed Tauranga Classic (1400m) crown in June.

She found 1200m a touch sharp in the start following, but Goss was confident a mile would be right up her alley and with a four-kilogram claim courtesy of apprentice Gareth Lahoud, she was the top pick in the market closing at $2.40.

Jumping away positively, Casino Princess was allowed to ease back and settled beautifully into fourth position off the fence, while Electric Time led the field up to the home turn. Casino Princess loomed strongly into contention and was set to chase down a game Chevron, who held the mare out until the final bounds where she pinned her ears back and found the line by a short head.

Goss had plenty of admiration for Casino Princess following the race, a six-year-old he owns alongside Darryl Heaphy.

“I was surprised, she was very tough,” Goss said.

“I thought she had gone and would run second, but she knuckled down and fought the other horse off.

“She’s just tough, even at home she’s the boss. It’s hard to get those types of horses, but she’s really good.

“It was a very good ride, the reason I went for that (the claim) was because I thought the track might be pretty heavy and with 53(kg) on her back, she should win.

“There is a mile here next month, that’ll be her next race.”

The race Goss was referring to is the Listed Team Wealleans Matamata Cup (1600m), which will be run at the Waikato venue on October 5.

For Lahoud, the win got the young hoop on the board for the season, and it was also his first success under new employer Chris Wood.

“She’s a tough mare, she just keeps finding and finding. She didn’t handle the ground too well, but she just keeps fighting,” Lahoud said.

“I saw him (Chevron) in the last furlong and thought I am going to catch him, but she just put her head down.

“I’m very happy with him (Wood), he keeps me humble and working hard and he’s got me riding well.”

Purchased for just $5,000 by Goss and Heaphy via gavelhouse.com in December 2019, the daughter of Casino Princess has won six of her 13 starts and more than $140,000 in stakes.

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