Five years after being bought on gavelhouse.com for just $5,000, stakes-winning mare Casino Princess(NZ) (Casino Princess) is being re-offered as a valuable broodmare prospect on Gavelhouse Plus.
Trained by the remarkable 93-year-old Cliff Goss, who shared ownership with his friend Darryl Heaphy, Casino Princess had only 13 starts for six wins, four placings and $141,360 in stakes.
“She did an amazing job for Dad in just a short career, winning six races up to Listed level,” Goss’s daughter Cherry Taylor said. “Had she not had a little bleed in trackwork last week, I think she would have been very competitive in the Matamata Cup (1600m) too.
“She had a lot of ability and we probably never quite saw the best of her on the racetrack. But that stage of her career has come to an end now and she’s going up for sale on Gavelhouse Plus. The only reason Dad is letting her go is because he’s 93, so it’ll just take too long for her foals to get to the races. He wants to give someone else that opportunity.
“She’s here with us at Trelawney Stud now and is looking great and enjoying the grass. I think she’ll make a lovely broodmare for someone. It’s not easy for any horse to win six races, including that valuable black type. She did that in only 13 starts, so she had a bit of quality that she’ll hopefully pass on to her foals.”
Casino Princess made a bold start to her career with three wins from her first four appearances in 2022 and early 2023. Her rapid rise was interrupted by a stand-down period for bleeding, but she returned to the peak of her powers in 2024 with three outstanding wins from what proved to be her final four starts. The most significant of those was the Listed Tauranga Classic (1400m) in June, in which the runner-up was the multiple Group One performer Malt Time (Adelaide).
Casino Princess is by successful Australian stallion Casino Prince, who is best known for his high-class son All Too Hard but is also putting together a strong record as a broodmare sire.
Casino Prince’s daughters have produced 104 winners from 161 runners, with seven stakes winners including Shadow Hero (Pierro) and Jungle Magnate (NZ) (Tarzino) at Group One level. Three-year-old colt Perspiration (Too Darn Hot) was an impressive winner of the Listed Heritage Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
The auction of Casino Princess is underway now on Gavelhouse Plus, with bidding closing from 7pm (NZDST) on Monday 7 October.
Meanwhile, entries for the latest mixed sale are due online by 10pm on Monday.
