Princess primed for starring at 1600m

THE step up to a mile brought the best out of Juliet's Princess last start and trainer Leon Macdonald hopes she can keep it going at Caulfield.

juliet's princess

THE step up to a mile brought the best out of Juliet's Princess last start and trainer Leon Macdonald hopes she can keep it going this weekend at Caulfield.

After doing most of her racing over the sprint trips, the More Than Ready three-year-old relished the extra distance, finishing a close second to Lucky Penny in the Listed Laelia Stakes at Morphettville.

Juliet's Princess hit the line hard and gets another crack at 1600m tomorrow when she makes the trip across the border to compete in the $70,000 Jimjoca Cup.

"She was most impressive, I thought. It was probably what she's been looking for," Macdonald, who trains with son-in-law Andrew Gluyas, said. "She should be improved now she's had a run over the mile."

The Morphettville trainer has a good opinion of Juliet's Princess, taking her to Flemington in the spring and running her in a Listed race on Oaks Day, but he still believes there's improvement in her.

"She's a nice filly - she ran up the straight in a six-furlong (1200m) race and finished alongside horses like Satin Shoes, so it was a pretty good performance," Macdonald said.

"She gives a bit of a start away. She's six months younger - she's bred to northern hemisphere time, so really she's only just turned three."

Juliet's Princess has two wins and three placings from her eight starts and should find tomorrow's race slightly easier, but has to carry 57kg. Clare Lindop is going for the ride.

The biggest threat is the top-weight, Robert Smerdon-prepared Tai Tai Tess, a fast-finishing third in the Adelaide event.