by Jonny Turner
There is more to Duchess Of Kent than the brilliance she’s shown in her recent winning hat-trick.
The three-year-old made it three-from-three this time in when speeding up the Ascot Park passing lane to win the Diamond Creek Farm & SBSR Silk Road Final on Sunday.
Speed has been the key ingredient in Duchess Of Kent’s hat-trick of victories, with the filly settling handy in each before zipping home to score for driver Brent Barclay.
As fast as she is, trainer Lauren Pearson thinks there is more to Duchess Of Kent’s game.
“I think she’d stay – I think she’ll follow pace all the time, but she has got that speed as well, which is a major help.”
Putting three wins to her name has helped Duchess Of Kent add to the already impressive record of her dam, Galleons Honour.
The outstanding producer has a 100% record at stud and has produced a string of smart types including Duke Of Wellington and Duke Of Cornwall.
Each has been bred by the late Lester Smith, whose estate races Duchess Of Kent.
Smith had a lifelong passion for harness racing and enjoyed excellent success in the sport, most recently with Pearson and Barclay.
“This one ended up being Lester’s favourite horse after he sold Duke Of Cornwall, because she was a keeper,” Pearson said.
Her victory in Sunday’s Silk Road Series final has now earned Duchess Of Kent the opportunity to take on better fillies in her age bracket at Addington.
“She’s paid up for the Nevele R Fillies Series, so we will have a smack at that,” Pearson said.
“She can have a week or so off now while we go on holiday.”
“We will get her up to Bob Butt – Bob doesn’t know it yet but we are going to ask whether he can take her and keep her up there for two Nevele R heats and find out if she’s good enough.”
Though the Duchess Of Kent’s current campaign could not have gone any better, behind the scenes there have been plenty of challenges.
“We’ve had a lot of ups and downs with it, but hopefully we’re on top of them now.”
“They put her first campaign down to soreness, so we turned her out and then an abscess burst out, so we’re hoping it was that.”
“We got her back and then we had a tie-up issue again after the first workout, but we seem to be on top of it at the moment.”
After reining home Duchess Of Kent with a pinpoint steer, Barclay notched a late double with Haley Jaccka taking out a hectic running of Sunday’s finale for trainer Brett Gray.
