The Richard and Michael Freedman trained Express Princess, a $2.90 favourite, prevailed in a tough two-horse battle with the second favourite Mosshiki ($3.20) to land a BM 70 Handicap over 1615m at Doomben.
The Freedman’s are certainly picking their battles well when it comes to taking on a Queensland assignment.
This was Express Princess’s second run in Queensland this year. She previously came up to Doomben on February 13 for a NMW contest and won that race by a comfortable 1.75 length margin. Throw in Dinado’s Class 6 win at Doomben a month ago and the stable is three from three for runners they have sent north this year.
Express Princess was forced to race three wide early from her unfavourable draw and it was only halfway down the back straight that Jim Byrne was able to push the Shamexpress mare forward to sit just off the leader in second spot.
At that stage Express Princess was racing some five lengths clear of Mosshiki but, in the sweep to the home turn, the latter made up ground very quickly so that the two main fancies were side by side and jousting for the lead on straightening.
Express Princess kicked and initially Mosshiki matched her rival to the degree where it became a two horse war for much of the home straight. From the 250m to the 50m the two went stride for stride and it was only late that Express Princess was able to assert her authority through a combination of her own determined effort and the fact that Mosshiki, after her early charge racing up towards the turn, began to weaken late.
Express Princess is now a five time winner from fifteen starts.
