Duchess adds another jewel to crown

Duchess Maria (Father Patrick) is proving to be an Autumn star.

The two year old trotting filly has travelled the length of the country hardly turning a hair and has excelled with wins in Invercargill, Auckland and now Addington, all at Group or Listed level.

In tonight’s $50,000 Group Three Sport Nation New Zealand Two Year Old Trotting Stakes, trainer driver Nathan Williamson took his filly straight to the lead and there she stayed unchallenged, to win by three and a half lengths from Who’s Ya Daddy.

DUCHESS MARIA REPLAY

“I just thought we would chance that tonight (leading) once she came off the gate so well. She was super professional and full credit to her. She’s done a super job these last three weeks,” he said.

Raced by John and Katrina Price who also bred her, Duchess Maria will return home and will no doubt get the best paddock at the Price’s Winton property.

“She’ll be better for a break now. She would have learned a lot. She’ll mature, but so will the others and I’m sure there’ll be new opposition in the spring as well. She’s pretty exciting, that’s for sure.”

Duchess Maria only qualified in March and since then she’s won the Group Three Two Year Old Southern Classic, Group Three Two Year Old Young Guns Final and now the Group Three New Zealand Trotting Stakes.

“She definitely had talent but to put it on the racetrack is a different thing. I’m real proud of her in how she’s behaved, and her manners have been great.”

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink