Highfield Princess set to defend her title in the Flying Five race
Highfield Princess Aims to Defend Crown in Flying Five Stakes
Highfield Princess is set to embark on her quest for back-to-back victories in the Flying Five Stakes, as she gears up for the highly anticipated race in Ireland next weekend. Despite falling short of securing consecutive wins in the Nunthorpe at York, John Quinn’s exceptional sprinting mare remains determined to defend her crown.
Last season, this superstar sprinter achieved a remarkable hat-trick of Group One triumphs. Following her successes in the Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville and both the Nunthorpe and Flying Five races, Highfield Princess established herself as a force to be reckoned with on the track.
The six-year-old mare kicked off this campaign impressively with an emphatic victory at Goodwood. The stage was then set for another thrilling battle at York’s Knavesmire course where she aimed to clinch her second Nunthorpe title. However, despite being the hot favorite that day, Highfield Princess had to settle for second place behind Live In The Dream who took charge from start to finish.
One year ago, Highfield Princess delivered what could arguably be considered one of her most outstanding performances yet when she triumphed in the Flying Five race. With anticipation building around her return to Curragh on September 10th – day two of the Irish Champions Festival – trainer John Quinn eagerly awaits witnessing his star sprinter once again grace Irish soil.
“She has come out of York well,” said Quinn reassuringly from his base in Malton. “Touch wood she seems fine.”
He continued by stating: “We’re just keeping her ticking over and all being well we’ll head to Ireland a week on Sunday. There’s no reason to deviate from our plan simply because she was beaten.”
Following her victory in the Flying Five last year, Highfield Princess made an eventful trip to the Breeders’ Cup where she put up a commendable performance, finishing fourth despite the competition being fierce. However, whether or not she will return to America this year remains uncertain as Quinn sets his sights on an appearance at Arc weekend in Paris on October 1st.
“If all goes well and she comes out of the Curragh in good shape,” Quinn eagerly explained, “we would like to run her in the Abbaye. From there we will assess our options.”
As Highfield Princess continues her journey towards defending her crown, horse racing enthusiasts around the world eagerly await each exhilarating chapter of this remarkable mare’s career. Stay tuned for further updates as this thrilling saga unfolds.