THE Black Prince will be set for the Newcastle Derby in May before a shot at the Queensland edition after a frustrating run in the group 1 NSW final (2400m) on Saturday night at Menangle Park.
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Keinbah trainer Roy Roots jnr was confident The Black Prince ($41.80) could defy the odds in the $200,000 NSW Derby and the Bettors Delight gelding showed why when he flew home for fourth, 2.9 metres off winner Poster Boy.
Third back on the fence after starting in gate six, The Black Prince and driver Chris Geary struggled to find space in the straight and arrived late on the scene.
“He was just stiff up the straight and couldn’t get a crack at them,” Roots jnr said. “Chris said that when he come off them, he just flew and if we got a clear run 100 metres earlier, we win or come second.
“They went 26.7 and 26.3 the last 800 and we were climbing over them looking for a run.”
Roots jnr said they would look to drive The Black Prince more aggressively at the top level after the encouraging run.
The Black Prince was set to have a short rest before building towards the Newcastle and Queensland derbies and the Breeders Crown in August in Melbourne.
Sawyers Gully trainer Stacie Elliott’s Petes Big Jim was another contender on Miracle Mile night, finishing second in the group 3 Sapling Stakes. Former Keinbah-based team Shane and Lauren Tritton won the group 1 Bohemia Crystal FFA with Franco Nelson.
My Field Marshal won the Miracle Mile in a southern hemisphere record of 1:46:9.
