Neil Evans
A tough and sparingly raced Warwick Farm-based mare is finally set to capture a second career win at Wednesday’s Canterbury meeting nearly two years after making her debut.
And it’s take two for the trainer of four-year-old Queen’s Rhapsody as she prepares to tackle an open Benchmark 72 Hcp over 1250m for the older gallopers on a rain-lashed course likely to fall deep into heavy range.
The daughter of dual Cox Plate winner So You Think began her career for the David Pfieffer stable in the winter of 2024 when she was beaten narrowly on the Kensington track.
It was a frustrating sign of things to come, and by the end of the year Queen’s Rhapsody had beaten all but the winner in four consecutive starts, including running the smart Crepe Myrtle to a long head.
But she was soon on the move north, settling in the Nathan Doyle yard at Newcastle who found instant success through autumn last year.
Behind two impressive trial wins on wet tracks, Queen’s Rhapsody finally opened her account in mid May, powering home to win a handy 3YO Maiden at Hawkesbury.
Yet she had only one more run for the Doyle camp before being spelled, then was sent back to the Pfieffer stable for a 2026 autumn campaign.
Again off a winning trial, she returned with a strong closing effort in a Class 1 at Kembla before running home late in a Saturday Midway BM 72 at Gosford.
Connections are confident that run will pitchfork Queen’s Rhapsody into the winner’s stall at Canterbury, especially given her liking for wet tracks, although she’ll have to do it from a wide draw.
Potentially standing in her way is an exciting four-year-old from the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable that is gunning for back-to-back wins.
Eton, a gelded son of I Am Invincible out of well-named English, produced one of the highlights of the recent Wagga carnival, sweeping home to win a Super Maiden by nearly four lengths in his first outing for 19 months.
Not surprisingly from a low draw, Eton opened a $3.80 favourite in early betting, with Queen’s Rhapsody around $4.50, and the Chris Waller-trained mare Concordia Wind on the third line at $4.80.
Supplied by Racing NSW
