Prue’s Angel overcomes multiple setbacks to win on the Gold Coast

PRUE’S Angel’s racing career was nearly over before it began but despite multiple setbacks the impressive filly remains unbeaten.

Baylee Nothdurft won two races for trainer Tony Gollan at the Gold Coast. Photo: Kevin Farmer, Toowoomba Chronicle.

PRUE’S Angel’s racing career was nearly over before it began but despite multiple setbacks the impressive filly remains unbeaten.

The three-year-old held off late challenges from Zilitor and Social Vampire to win the QTIS Three-Year-Old Fillies Handicap (1200m) at the Gold Coast on Saturday to take her record to two wins from as many starts.

Prue’s Angel ($4) was never comfortable after losing a front shoe just 100m into the race, giving even more merit to the victory.

“It’s always hard for a horse to win their first start then come out and win again in their second start,” trainer Tony Gollan said.

“She was dipping and diving, she wasn’t overly comfortable.

“She is certainly a filly with a nice future.

“She is still a work in progress and learning her trade but if we can keep putting her in the right races then she can keep being competitive and I have no doubt in time she will develop into a Saturday metro sort of filly.”

Prue’s Angel is becoming accustomed to overcoming the odds to succeed.

WATCH PRUE ANGEL’S WIN ON THE GOLD COAST * Video courtesy of Racing Queensland

The filly, by Sequalo from Piccolo Music, suffered a knee chip during a jumpout at Doomben and was in and out of work for a year after having two operations on it.

It’s an injury that could have ended any chance of Prue’s Angel racing but Gollan said their patience had paid off.

“She’s been a good story for a bit of patience really,” Gollan said.

“It’s not common for horses to have double surgeries on the knee – it’s pretty rare.

“The more times you go in to have surgeries than the less chance you are of having a fully sound racehorse.

“At the moment she is coping well. I’m sure she is not going to have a 40 or 50 start career but if we can look after her, space her runs and do what is required of her I think she can be a very good filly and mare for the connections.”

It was the first of two straight wins for Gollan at the Gold Coast and the Eagle Farm-based trainer praised the work by apprentice Baylee Nothdurft who rode Prue’s Angel and Class 1 Handicap (900m) winning filly Jest Excel.

It was a first-up win for three-year-old Jest Excel who has won two and placed third from three runs while still showing signs of improvement.

“She is a very fast filly but once she learns to control that speed and use it at the right time in races I think we will see a better filly,” Gollan said.

“It’s not common for horses to have double surgeries on the knee – it’s pretty rare.

The win was the first of a double for Gollan and apprentice Baylee Nothdurft who also combined to claim the Class 1 Handicap (900m) with filly Jest Excel.

“She is a very fast filly but once she learns to control that speed and use it at the right time in races I think we will see a better filly,” Gollan said.

Nothdurft later rode a double at the Toowoomba night meeting to take his tally to seven wins from his past 11 rides.

The apprentice rode a treble from his only three rides at Casino in northern NSW on Friday.