Katici Princess (IRE) confirmed her liking for the Kenilworth 1200m as she ran out a comfortable winner of the Gr 3 Champagne Stakes on Saturday. Purple Orchid (GB) ran on for second ahead of Clarion Call (SAF) and Badger's Cove (SAF).

Katici Princess was prominent throughout the race as Street Runner and Florist Rose showed good early pace and Dance With Al raced up there with them. Strawberry Ice, Seminole and Badger's Cove were next best with Purple Orchid and Clarion Call nowhere to be seen early on.

The early pacemakers started to tire past the 400m mark with Katici Princess the only to have raced handy who still found herself travelling reasonably comfortably. Badger's Cove was shaken up to get closer as Dance With Al came under a ride and Seminole briefly looked a potential threat.

Katici Princess had the advantage entering the last furlong, having successfully seen off all her challengers. Clarion Call appeared on the scene from nowhere and Purple Orchid produced a late kick but Katici Princess had it in the bag and crossed the line 1.50 lengths clear.

The winner has an interesting record, to say the least. She's only run nine times despite having turned six, but five of those runs have ended in victory, two of them feature races over this course and distance. She has some nice names in her pedigree and this victory certainly will not have done any harm to her paddock value.

Purple Orchid bounced back to her best with a good effort in defeat while Clarion Call, who was up in class, also ran creditable under the WFA terms of the race. Badger's Cove, meanwhile, is battling to win again but showed - not for the first time - that she can be counted on to be competitive in this sort of event.