Jimmie, STAR Racing Writer

TRADITIONAL PRINCE is too fit to be second-guessed in tomorrow's 1300-metre Seek Exercise Book feature for open allowance runners.

"Traditional Prince has given away every chance, walking out of the gate at the back of the pack," commentator Brian Rickman started his call of the 1100-metre Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Commission (BGLC) Trophy race on Emancipation Day.

At the wire, he was left declaring, "Traditional Prince, after a slow start, he wins it," as the seven-year-old gelding, running with topweight 57.0 kilos, recovered from 16 lengths last at the half mile to bore through against the rail, outfinishing the early running FORTUNEONEHUNDRED, late-closing SCOOP JORDYNE and EDISON, who had appeared the likely winner a half furlong out.

Despised in the betting at odds of 10-1, TRADITIONAL PRINCE franked his form with a workmanlike win, overpowering leaders and run-on horses inside the last furlong of the BGLC Trophy, motoring home as if he was carrying 50.0 kilos.

A month earlier, he similarly stunned a decent field of sprinters, including TALENTED TONY K, to beat RIO COBRE and EDISON at 1000 metres straight, clocking 59.1.

Taking a crack at grade-one horses a week later, TRADITIONAL PRINCE finished three and a half lengths away in fourth place, behind UPPA TUNE, PETE'SWILDONE and his stablemate, CRUCIAL APPEAL, a fast-run 58.0.

Down in class and overlooked on Emancipation Day, TRADITIONAL PRINCE, as Rickman stated, gave every chance away, yet chased splits of 22.3, 46.2, set by TALENTED TONY K and FORTUNEONEHUNDRED, before powering through inside the last furlong.

Rivalry

Renewing rivalry with six rivals from Emancipation Day, TRADITIONAL PRINCE gets an additional furlong to stalk and pick off opponents at will. The handicaps, however, have swung their way as the likes of FORTUNEONEHUNDRED, RIO COBRE, EDISON and PUDDY POOH are five, six and seven pounds lighter, respectively.

Considering the number of lengths TRADITIONAL PRINCE had given away in the BGLC, a better start should compensate for his disadvantage at the scale. The pace should again play into his hands as trainers Richard Azan and Wayne DaCosta each has a pair of runners in the line-up, two sprinters and two closers, bent on outdoing each other.

Expect PUDDY POOH and RIO COBRE to knot up with FORTUNEONEHUNDRED in close quarters. At 1300 metres, TRADITIONAL PRINCE has one horse to fear in the stretch run, down-in-class PETE'SWILDONE.

Harry Parsard's United States-bred showed good speed in his last three races, even finishing second to stablemate UPPA TUNE in the Reggae Trophy at 1000 metres straight, beating fourth-place TRADITIONAL PRINCE by a length and three quarter.