Five-in-a-row winner Zoe may take her 2021 bow in Dublin
Princess Zoe may start her 2021 campaign in the Alleged Stakes at the Curragh in April. Tony Mullins is thinking of dropping his Group One-winning stayer down to a mile and a quarter because he believes she does not need extreme distances to bring out her best.
Princess Zoe made remarkable progress last year, winning five races in a row, culminating in the Group One Prix du Cadran over two and a half miles at Parislongchamp – twice the distance of the Alleged Stakes. However, Mullins is keen to see how she performs at middle distances.
"We're looking at the Alleged Stakes," the Gowran trainer said in an interview posted on his Twitter account. "It's only a mile and a quarter. I don't know if it's a winnable distance for her at that level but we're going to try it. I have always been adamant she's as good at a mile and a half as she is at two and a half – so we're going to set about proving it. If we're wrong, we'll switch back and use distance races but her work has shown me she is a Group filly at a mile and a half – and we intend to prove it."
Princess Zoe was last seen in October, when her wintrainer ning run ended with honourable defeat over just short of two miles as she tried to double her Group One tally in the Prix Royal-oak at Parislongchamp. Preparation for the grey mare's six-year-old campaign is under way, however.
"She's done loads of slow work in very soft ground and will probably go away now," added Mullins. “Jim Bolger very kindly lets us work in his place, so she might go there, or up the Old Vic on the Curragh, and then we'll decide the next move after the first piece of work."
Meanwhile, Ronald Pump suffered a setback which has ruled him out of the Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. Trainer Matthew Smith reports it is not serious and is optimistic his stable star will be back in action at the Punchestown Festival at the end of
April. "He's thrown a splint. It's going to set him back a few weeks," said the County Meath handler.
In today’s racing, Revolutionise can back up a convincing success at Wolverhampton last time out with another power-packed display in the Bombardier British Hopper Amber Beer Handicap at Newcastle. The Stuart Williams-trained five-year-old upset the odds-on favourite Tranchee when scoring by a comfortable length and half. The handicapper put him up 4lb for that effort, which seems fair on the visual evidence. A similar performance can see Revolutionise take this decent prize.