Proud Princess 'back to best’ after virus

Press, 14 September 1988, Page 52

Proud Princess 'back to best’ after virus

Special correspondent Invercargill “It looks as if she is back to her best now,” Ali Malcolmson said after Proud Princess recorded her sixth career success when she won the J. J. Cornell Pace at the Invercargill Trotting Club’s spring meeting at Invercargill on Saturday. “She was troubled by a virus and other niggling setbacks for most of last season,” said Malcolmson of Proud Princess, a $2250 yearling purchase at Grant Sim’s 1984 displenishing sale in Invercargill. Malcolmson prepares the Armbro Hurricane mare for Raeleen and Elaine Allison, sisters from Pine Bush. The sisters have had considerable success with stock from their distinguished producer, Dora Forbes, the dam of La Valaise (1:56), a prolific North American winner. Proud Princess raced at Ashburton in June and was then given a spell of six weeks. Malcolmson fitted her for Saturday’s win with a race at Forbury Park a week earlier and a trials

run three days before Saturday’s success. Proud Princess enjoyed a splendid run one out and one back in the running and sprinted clear to establish her winning break at the 200 m.

Precipitate, which shared the 20-metre handicap mark with her, mounted a spirited late claim, but Proud Princess was untroubled to hold him out. Proud Princess, a former track record holder for 2200 m, is described by Malcolmson as a “nice type of mare to work with.” The win credited Malcolmson with his first success of the new term. Last season he prepared the winners of 10 races and had 15 winning drives. Wilken Pete’s authoritative front-running success in the Development Corporation Pace was his third since joining Kirk Larsen’s Branxholme stable as a CO pacer in March. Earlier, Wilken Pete was developed by Phil Cross, of Pyramid Farm, Otama. A five-year-old by the ill-fated sire, Prince Twinkle, Wilken Pete is raced

by Bill and Ken Blatch, farmers from Riversdale, in partnership with Peter Owen, a .Southland dairy farmer. The Blatch men bred Wilken Pete after being loaned his dam, Lee Dale. “He was inclined to be a bit nervous when I got him, but he has improved gradually with the help of ear plugs,” said his trainer-driver, Kirk Larsen, aged 23. “He used to be a bit head strong and pull a little, but he is improving in that department, too.” Larsen is in his second full season as a professional trainer. He gained one win for part of the 1986-87 term and prepared the winners of seven races last season and he has a career tally of 53 as a driver. Larsen worked for Bryce Buchanan before branching out on his own at Holmdale Farm, Branxholme, two years ago. Larsen, a former successful amateur cross-country* rider, prepares 12 horses and is assisted part-time by his brother, Ricky, a meat company executive employee, who has also succeeded as an amateur steeplechase rider.