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Chapter Six

The Spring

Seldom have owners been as happy to run eighth as were the Prince Of Penzance group upon his return to racing in the Memsie Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday, 29 August 2015.

It had been just over nine months since he last raced, eight since his third operation for bone chips and seven since his life-threatening colic attack.

Getting back to the races was quite the achievement in itself. Running well, many felt, would be a miracle. Especially as it was his first crack at Group One company.

For the first time in his career Prince Of Penzance was triple figure odds, 100–1. Settling back from a wide gate, he hooked out at the 600 metres and started to make up ground. He didn’t pick up all of his well-credentialled rivals, but enough of them. A most encouraging effort, finishing ahead of such outstanding gallopers as Happy Trails, Dandino and Fawkner, beaten only 2 1/4 lengths, recording the second fastest final 400 metres.

‘Prince Of Penzance has run out of his skin,’ said race caller Greg Miles.

Michelle Payne was delighted, telling owners that, ‘He began really nicely, and just came back and settled beautifully. The speed was nice and genuine for the first half and they steadied mid-race, which gave him the chance to tack on. He got a lovely cart up behind Weary, which took us right into the straight.

‘He just wanted to lay in a fraction when I first went with him, so I pulled the stick in the left hand. He straightened up beautifully and was really good to the line and really good through the line. It was a perfect first up run.’

His owners were relieved and happy, slapping each other on the back. Pam and David Wilson had a wedding to go to but had sat out in their car to listen, enjoying updates from Michael. They were happy from afar.

Sixty-two kilograms made Prince Of Penzance’s second up task in the Gold Nugget at Ballarat a tough one, but he was a sound fifth carrying eight kilograms more than the winner, Freshwater Storm.

‘It looked a strange decision at the time to run a Melbourne Cup contender at Ballarat,’ said part-owner John Richards.

The metropolitan tracks at the time, he explained, were being prepared firm, too hard for Prince Of Penzance and his troublesome fetlocks. Michelle Payne phoned city track curators to see if the courses were to be watered … they were not.

‘We did not want to expend the horse and the Ballarat track was in good order, so it’s there we went.’

It is not every day that a Ballarat race features in a story in the Gold Coast Bulletin but this one did, touted as a bit of a match race. Owner Stephen Wilson works for the Gold Coast Suns and the team’s captain Gary Ablett had Baron Archer in the same race. While neither horse saluted, Stephen won bragging rights, his horse fifth, Gary Ablett’s seventh.

The Group Three JRA Cup at Moonee Valley was next, and after covering ground behind all the way winner Escado he was fifth less than two lengths away.

‘I was really happy with the Prince’s performance today,’ Michelle Payne reported. ‘He got into a nice position and travelled well. I was happy with how he raced, his racing manners. He put in a nice first 600 metres and then the speed really went on and got him off the bit, but he was really strong through the line. I am really happy with how he is progressing; he is right where you want him at this stage.’

A firm track — going that Prince Of Penzance had never relished — hindered his chances in the Group Two Herbert Power Stakes. He settled last from a wide draw and was never a threat, Michelle reporting that she was not happy with his action.

The stable form analyst Peter Ellis was far from despondent, noting that it was just too hard to run on from so far back and yet the horse had run his last 1000 metres in good time … ‘That told me that he was on song.’

Prince Of Penzance pulled up well and was on track for a second Moonee Valley Cup. An ideal barrier (four), the softer Strathayr surface he had always liked. The blinkers were back on.

But he was racing against history, attempting to become only the second horse in seven decades to win the race twice, the first to win consecutive runnings since 1946.

For only the second time in his career Prince Of Penzance led. With 1200 metres to go another horse tried to tackle him, but he kicked up and kept rolling along. He straightened two lengths in front.

A lot can go through an owner’s mind in a short time when a beloved horse looks like winning. They can picture the celebrations, taste the joy. Sam Brown could feel a much desired victory coming. This was the first time that all six of the Men In Hats Syndicate members had been together on race day and he so dearly wanted a big, gleeful joint celebration.

‘I thought this was the moment,’ he said, as he remembered edging closer to his brother so that they would be next to each other as Prince Of Penzance crossed the line. But he did not see the big flashy chestnut The United States beginning his run, a winning run.

Prince Of Penzance was defeated but not shamed. He had galloped so fast that his conqueror was able to smash the track record time held since August 2009. It was, as Sam noted ‘one of his best runs even though he lost’.

‘It was a sensational run, a magnificent ride,’ Sam said.

‘It is not often that you break a record and still get beaten,’ Andrew Broadfoot added, while Mark Hall noted that he had finished in front of some big owners with the fourth-placed Bold Sniper raced by Her Majesty The Queen.

Michelle Payne was happy, telling John Richards that the run was better than the winner’s — ‘That is one horse we won’t have to worry about at Flemington,’ she said.

The initial disappointment of defeat soon wore off, and pride in the horse’s achievement came to the fore. And then there was the realisation that by not winning he had avoided a weight penalty for his next start: the 2015 Emirates Melbourne Cup.