Princess Rhaenys has had to overcome adversity in her short career with trainer Peter Moody hoping the mare can still make it to stakes grade.
A maiden winner previously, Princess Rhaenys took out the Ladbrokes Same Race Multi Handicap (1600m) at Sandown on Sunday at only her sixth start.
Moody said a lung infection followed by a severe foot abscess had resulted in the rising five-year-old having limited exposure to the racetrack.
Under the urgings of Luke Nolen, Princess Rhaenys, the $2.20 favourite, scored a short-head win from Vittoriosa ($6) with Cyclone Sally ($8.50) three-quarters-of-a-length away third.
Moody had hopes of Princess Rhaenys being an Australian Oaks filly as a three-year-old and was steering the daughter of Iffraaj in that direction.
Princess Rhaenys had finished fourth in the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) at only her third start and was on track for an assault at the Oaks two weeks later.
“Her brother Jon Snow won a Derby and that’s why we took her up there,” Moody said.
“She ran fourth in the Vinery Stud but then got a lung infection that took her around four months to get over.
“We got her right, put her in work and she was on the verge of racing, but she got a bad foot abscess, which rotted her foot.
“The owners have been terrifically patient, so we started again.
“That was only start number six for a rising five-year-old mare, so there’s still plenty of time.”
Moody said it was his intention to step Princess Rhaenys up to 2000m and give her a couple of tries at that trip before a winter break.
“I think we’ll try and build a bit of a profile, work her through the grades a little bit,” Moody said.
“There’s a couple of nice mares’ races at the back end of the spring, so maybe another couple of runs and then we’ll back off her and steer her towards those.”
