Catch Uncaptured Empress if you can
UNITED STATES BRED UNCAPTURED EMPRESS appears back to form, having struck the right chord among local-breds, non-winners of three races, when finishing second behind POWER FROM ABOVE at a mile on March 24.
A four-year-old who appears best at middle-distances, UNCAPTURED EMPRESS ran into thick traffic after getting off the mark among local-breds, non-winners of two races, landing the Independence Day Stakes Trophy at seven furlongs last August.a
Clocking a decent 1:28.4, then three-year-old UNCAPTURED EMPRESS drew four lengths clear a furlong out, eventually beating NORBLAR by a length with in-utero GEOLITHIC a further three behind.
NORBLAR and GEOLITHIC have since franked the form of that race with victories, suggesting that UNCAPTURED EMPRESS should have long graduated to, at least, overnight allowance.
However, a three-race foray into events mixing imported nonwinners of two races alongside local-breds - three and four-yearolds, non-winners-of-four races – set UNCAPTURED EMPRESS against speedsters such as BOOTYLICIOUS and talented United States-bred DESERT OF MALIBU. Venturing outside her comfort zone, going nine furlongs and 25 yards, saw UNCAPTURED EMPRESS finishing last on her third attempt at the level.
Returning a rung lower among non-winners of three races on New Year’s Day, UNCAPTURED EMPRESS finished a close-enough fifth behind five-furlong straight specialist VOLATILITY. After that encouraging effort, UNCAPTURED EMPRESS oddly returned minus blinkers at five and a half furlongs off the lay-up on March 16, finishing down the track without the equipment he had worn when winning at seven furlongs.
Blinkers were refitted eight days later, with six-time champion jockey Omar Walker replacing Shane Richardson, UNCAPTURED EMPRESS reporting sharp as a razor but caught inside the final halffurlong furlong by POWER FROM ABOVE after slicing through the field down the backstretch and straightening four lengths clear.
Trainer Peter McMaster has ditched the blinkers for a visor, giving UNCAPTURED EMPRESS peepholes, which should make her alert to incoming danger. It will be catch her if you can again, with Walker back aboard.