Italian Princess Ready For Railway

Friday, 31 December 2010 04:15

Italian Princess has won open sprints at her only two starts this season but her jockey Michael Coleman thinks she goes into Saturday's Railway Stakes as an improved horse.

Italian Princess runs in the Group One contest at Ellerslie as the best fancied of the local runners after winning the Listed Counties Bowl (1100m) at Pukekohe on November 20.

The Bertolini mare fought off a spirited challenge from Sandblaster to win by a nose and Coleman thinks she will be in better shape on Saturday.

"She probably didn't have much petrol left when she won at Pukekohe, but I thought there was a lot of improvement left in her," Coleman said.

"She's been working well through the week and I think she's feeling better."

Italian Princess has been helped by a useful barrier draw of eight - likely to be seven if the emergencies are scratched - while many of the other fancied runners have drawn wider at the tricky Ellerslie 1200m start.

Italian Princess was rated $6.50 second favourite by TAB bookies behind $3 favourite Monton who is aiming to make it back-to-back Railway successes for Australians following this year's win by Gold Trail.