Keinbah trainer Roy Roots jnr expects The Black Prince to bounce back in the Newcastle Derby on Saturday night ahead of a potential rematch with Ignatius in the Breeders Crown series.
The Black Prince was six metres fourth to Ignatius on Tuesday at Menangle in a Breeders Crown heat where Morisset trainer Mark Callaghan’s Royal Gamble, another Derby runner, was an impressive second.
Ignatius set a 2300m world record for three-year-olds, clocking a 1:53.5 mile rate, to beat The Black Prince’s mark by 0.6 of a second. It was The Black Prince’s second-up run from a break following his group 2 Carousel win.
“He was just a bit underdone the other day,” Roots jnr said. “I’ve just keep him ticking over since the Carousel and he needed the run, and I’m sure he’ll strip much fitter. He pulled up a little bit bigger than I expected, but he should be hard to beat tomorrow night.”
The Black Prince was not part of the Derby which was declared a no-race on May 26 after a fall. Roots jnr said the re-run would give his star a much-needed hit-out before heading to Victoria for the group 1 series where Ignatius looms as the one to beat.
“I’d like to meet at 100 per cent,” he said. “If he was rock-hard fit and we sat on him, I’d be a lot more confident next time, but his record speaks for itself. Ignatius is an out and out champion.”
He will also take filly Miss Streisand to Victoria after her heat win on Tuesday.
The other feature Saturday night is the Glenn Tomlin Memorial, where Mitch Chapple’s Derringer and Glenn Bull’s Can’t Explain It are leading chances.
