Pride’s Crazy Mare Is The Gosford Queen

The Group Three Belle Of The Turf Stakes over 1600m has been taken out by the quirky Joe Pride trained mare Threeood ($4.80) in testing conditions at Gosford.

Trainer Joe Pride explained that Threeood was quite a handful back at his Warwick Farm stables. “She’s bordering on being put in an asylum, quirky is being kind,” Pride quipped.

“You wouldn’t think a horse that could win first up at 1100m could turn up at a mile a few starts later and win but she’s a bit unique this mare, she is really tough, and she doesn’t know when to lie down,” he said.

“We picked her up as a seven-start maiden so she’s done well for the stable.”

The five-year-old was given a lovely run by in-form hoop Rachel King and she defeated outsider Oakfield Missile ($31) by a length with Selica ($14) a further long head back in third.

The Star Witness mare has now won six of her 28 starts with a further nine placings to add to the tally and she has now taken her earnings over the $340,000 mark.

Jockey Rachel King echoed Pride’s thoughts saying that the mare has a few tricks in her arsenal. “She’s a funny little mare, as we know she sort of does things her own way,” King said.

“From the nice barrier everything worked out perfectly for her. When she was able to get that gap on the home-turn I knew she was going to be strong late.”

Earlier in the program, jockey James McDonald capped a stellar day riding his fourth winner on the Michael and Richard Freedman trained Forbidden Love ($2.20F) in the Listed Gosford Guineas over 1200m.

The All Too Hard filly held off The Face ($7) by a length with Marsannay ($15) a further length away in third. Trainer Richard Freedman explained the three-year-old will now head to Magic Millions carnival in the new year to target the $2 million 3YO Guineas on January 16.

‘She’ll probably need to improve to win the Guineas up there but there is improvement in her,” Freedman said. “I’m just delighted to see her get the job done today for some really nice people.