Benfica Princess on Oaks trail

The Queensland Oaks is a long-term goal for Benfica Princess who takes on older horses when she runs at Eagle Farm.

Benfica Princess has won her past two starts with the latest a last-to-first victory at the Sunshine Coast over 1600m.

She will drop back slightly in distance to the 1500m of Saturday’s Tattersall’s Plate at Eagle Farm.

Benfica Princess is trained at the Gold Coast by Kelly Doughty who has a big opinion of her as a future middle distance horse.

Doughty’s husband Gary said the stable didn’t usuallt like to start three-year-old fillies ouit of their age group but the race fitted perfectly into Benfica Princess’s program.

“We usually like to keep them to their own age group. But she beat older horses at the Sunshine Coast and she did it well,” Doughty said.

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“There are not many horses who could do what she did there. She really does have a big finish.”

Doughty said Benfica Princess would step back up to the 1600m in a fortnight before having a summer spell.

“We are then thinking about a Queensland Oaks campaign. It is a fair way off but she does show potential,” Doughty said.

Leading jockey Jeff Lloyd has stuck with Benfica Princess after winning on her at the Sunshine Coast.

“She does show plenty of ability and can pick up when you urge her along.” he said.

Benfica Princess is one of only a few starters to date for her sire Benfica who now stands at Aquis Farm at Canungra.