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Trainer Glen Kotzen says his superstar filly Princess Victoria is “flying” ahead of her bid to win a fifth G1 race in the SA Fillies Sprint over 1200m at Scottsville Festival of Speed meeting on Saturday.
Kotzen is also keen on the chances of his two-year-old colt Fly Me Over in the G1 Tsogo Sun Medallion over 1200m on the Scottsville program.
Kotzen said Princess Victoria has been trialling like a machine.
“She is flying like a flying machine, touch wood. She is cruising and will be ready for Saturday," Kotzen told Gold Circle.
The Victory Moon three-year-old filly will face strong opposition in the SA Fillies Sprint from the likes of Ebony Flyer, Welwitschia and Chocolicious.
Wishful Eye would be interesting if the ground comes up fast and the best might not yet have been seen from Torra Bay.
The Scottsville Festival of Speed meeting has been a good one for the Kotzen yard, having won the Allan Robertson with Princess Victoria last year and the SA Fillies Sprint with Lady Windermere in 2009.
Fly Me Over, a Jet Master colt, became the first two-year-old to beat older horses in KZN this season when winning a maiden on debut over the Scottsville Medallion course and distance when his time was quicker than the two G2 juvenile events on the day.
Kotzen said, “We don't know how good he is but he ran a phenomenal time for a first timer.”
Meanwhile Ottimo, winner of the G2 Umkhomazi Stakes on protest, inner Ottimo would race in cheek
pieces in the Tsogo Sun Medallion on the advice of jockey Felix Coetzee.Trainer Ivan Moore said, “Felix said that Ottimo hadn't quite learned how to gallop yet so suggested putting cheek pieces on him.
"I've had cheek pieces on him at work since then and he looks better in himself with them on.
"This horse doesn't overdo it and only does what he has to do. He is a better horse at the races than he is on the training tracks.”
Ottimo is an Australian-bred colt by Oratorio owned by Fred Crabbia.
He was a lucky recipient of the Umkhomazi Stakes as he was beaten narrowly by the Charles Laird-trained Medallion entry Contador but was promoted to first after his third-placed stable companion My Jelly Bean had an objection, lodged by the stipendiary stewards, upheld in his favour.
My Jelly Bean also runs on Saturday but Moore still regards Ottimo as his main hope.
“I have to be honest I prefer Ottimo's chances. He is a better horse than what he has shown on the racecourse so far."
Moore reckons that Ottimo would definitely get the 1400m of the G1 Golden Horseshoe that is run on Vodacom Durban July day on July 7.
The yard won that race last year with the ill-fated Fighting Warrior, who was also an Australian-bred owned by Crabbia in partnership with Andy Williams.
Coetzee will not be available for the Scottsville meeting as he is due to start a six month contract in Singapore on June 1.
He might return for the Golden Horseshoe and Durban July.
Stuart Randolph, who won the SA Fillies Sprint on Val De Ra last year, will replace Coetzee on Ottimo.
Corne Orffer will keep the ride on My Jelly Bean.