Sunday’s Typewriter Trophy a gift for The Prince’s Spur

FACED with Mouttet Mile-qualifying options whittling down ahead of the US$300,000 event set for December 5, Rohan Crichton’s American, THE PRINCE’S SPUR, gets a gift of points in Sunday’s Typewriter Trophy at seven and a half furlongs.

THE PRINCE’S SPUR returns facing overnight-allowance runners, two classes lower, after losing on his local debut to Horse of the Year RIDEALLDAY in the Philip Feanny Gold Cup.

Running 14lb lighter than RIDEALLDAY, THE PRINCE’S SPUR came off the home turn, with Tajay Suckoo appearing to have more in hand than Ian Spence urging the four-year-old grey pursuer to pick up the pace swinging into the straight.

THE PRINCE’S SPUR, who last raced and won at Gulfstream Park, Florida, beating US$12,5000 claimers in January, kicked two furlongs out but a determined RIDEALLDAY came charging with a furlong and a half to run.

Spotting THE PRINCE’S SPUR drifting to mid-track, Ian Spence angled RIDEALLDAY to the rail, attacking the seven-year-old gelding midway the stretch run before getting the better a half-furlong out, pulling off to win in 1:23.2, three-fifths off Eros 1991 track-record mark of 1:22.4.

RIDEALLDAY, who had already qualified for defending his Mouttet Mile title by landing April’s Ian Levy in a track-record 1:41.4, won by a length from THE PRINCE’S SPUR, who might have been used up too early, chasing PACK PLAYS’ early splits of 23.0 and 45.4 before motoring into 1:10.4 for six furlongs.

Feanny, who conditions the Cassiopeia Racing Inc-owned RIDEALLDAY, said

THE PRINCE’S SPUR chasing down PACK PLAYS was to RIDEALLDAY’s advantage.

“I was kinda glad he went to PACK PLAYS. It suited us the way he ran,” said Feanny, adding that RIDEALLDAY ran a good race in preparation for the Mouttet Mile.

An experienced traveller with a 4-3-4 United States record under his girth, THE PRINCE’S SPUR was sired by Cairo Prince out of the Giant’s Causeway mare Flying Spur. He has raced at Belmont Park, Churchill Downs, Ellis Park, Fair Grounds, Gulfstream Park, Keeneland and Saratoga with wins at Churchill Downs, Fair Grounds, Gulfstream Park and Saratoga.

Since winning the 2023 Mouttet Mile with Rough Entry, Crichton and his owners, primarily Dennis Smith, have twice had to settle for the runner-up spot, LEGACY ISLE beaten by FUNCAANDUN in 2024 and RIDEALLDAY last year.

THE PRINCE’S SPUR won under a hand ride from Irad Ortiz Jr at Gulfstream in January, clocking 1:38.2 for a mile. His previous race was also a win, 1:42.4, at eight and a half furlongs at Churchill Downs in September of 2024.

Though he hasn’t done much at exercise since prepping for the Gold Cup, clocking 59.3 for five furlongs straight, THE PRINCE’S SPUR belongs nowhere close to overnight-allowance company and will win as far as one can throw a stone.