Dermot Weld eyeing Ascot trip after Princess Highway’s victory at Naas
Princess Highway has collected plenty of praise following her emphatic win in the Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Blue Wind Stakes at Naas earlier this week. Under Pat Smullen, Dermot Weld’s trainee demonstrated a fantastic show to seize the
top position by a length’s distance.
The 3-year-old picked up a great speed right from the start and maintained the standards till the finishing line. She did a fabulous job in the final stages of the race, not letting the rivals spoil her party.
It was Princess Highway’s second consecutive win this season, as she recently sealed a comfortable win at Leopardstown. In the Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund 3yo Fillies Maiden, the filly performed magnificently and grabbed the top place by
1¾ lengths.
With two consecutive wins under her belt, the filly is full of spirit at the moment. Including the Irish 1000 Guineas and Oaks, she has many major entries in hand, but Weld has set sights on the Ribblesdale Stakes, taking place at Royal Ascot next month.
"It's a lovely Group race to win with her. It was important with this filly to win her Group race. I think the logical progression will be to go for the Ribblesdale now. This filly is a late-maturing type and I think waiting for Royal Ascot is the prudent
way to go. She will learn from today and I think as the year progresses, she will definitely be a Group One filly," he said.
Dawn Approach was also pretty impressive at Naas on Wednesday. The colt proved far too good for his opponents in the Fishery Lane Race. Under K. J. Manning, Jim Bolger's charge did a fine job and beat Canary Row by five and a half lengths.
The 2-year-old holds an entry for the Group 1 Keenland Phoenix Stakes, to be held at Curragh in August this year. However, the trainer is yet to make any final plan.
On his trainee’s future outings, Bolger stated: "We have a choice of races for him now. I was originally thinking of the Chesham but Kevin said he could go anywhere and when he says that, they can go anywhere."
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