Sean Quinn: Highfield Princess has only just started to hit her straps

Assistant trainer, Sean Quinn, and jockey, Jason Hart, speak to William Hill ahead of Highfield Princess’ run in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint on Saturday.

Jason Hart:

 “Highfield Princess is so special. She’s taken my career to another level, and while it’s always nice to ride a good number of winners, having one that can compete at the top table is great.

“I ride her out every day, and I remember getting off her one time in the winter when she was aiming to qualify for the all-weather finals, and I just felt she was getting quicker. John and Sean [Quinn] kept her at seven furlongs, and it paid off as she went on to win the AW Fillies’ & Mares’ Final, but on what she was doing at home we knew we had more options.

“Where her speed has come from, I’m not sure, but mentally she has progressed so much. She’s got so much stronger mentally and that’s what’s helped her get to the level she’s at now.”

“I rode Safe Voyage at Keeneland in the Breeders’ Cup Mile a couple of years ago, and I spent a winter out at Santa Anita when I was claiming 7lbs, so it’s nice to have some experience under my belt in that respect.

“She’s usually quick away, so hopefully gate speed won’t be a trouble as the first furlong is so important in America. As for conditions, she showed at Deauville that she can handle a quick surface, while she won the Flying Five on soft, so she’s versatile in that respect which is a positive.

“As for running round a bend, that poses no problem at all. She’s won races around a bend before, and though Keeneland may be a bit tighter than we’ve experienced , she’s very good at changing her leads and I don’t see it being an issue. She’s got a great temperament too, which will stand her in good stead for the busy trackwork mornings and all the big crowds. She’s a worthy joint favourite and goes there with every chance.”

Sean Quinn:

 “It’s been an incredible journey. We always thought she was a nice filly at home, but she was late-maturing, so we had to be patient and didn’t get her to a racetrack until halfway through her three-year-old season. She won her first race up at Ayr off a mark of 58, and she’s now rated 120, so it’s been an unimaginable rise.

“All of her form up until this year was over seven furlongs, and the Prix Maurice de Gheest being over six and half we thought was ideal back then in August, but then we felt she was getting faster at home. I’d put it down to her maturing and getting physically a lot stronger.

“She’s already been to France, and it was during a very hot time of the year, so that wasn’t the easiest trip, but she kept drinking really well and took it all in her stride. America will be a bigger challenge in terms of the travel, but I don’t see it bothering her.

“She’s a triple Group 1 winner, has only really started to hit her straps in the last few months, and there won’t be many other horses heading there off the back of three Group 1 wins, so she has got a very strong chance on paper. As for all the talk about getting out of the gates on terms, that shouldn’t be a problem for her as she’s usually pretty fast away. She’s also good running around a bend, so that’s not a problem either.”