An outstanding Te Akau mare, Princess Coup was an exquisite Group one horse

Princess Coup was purchased for $A260,000 by David Ellis at the Gold Coast June Magic Million Yearling Sales in 2005 and raced by Bromley Bloodstock Ltd & Ray Coupland. Princess Coup was bred in Australia and is by the prolific sire, Encosta De Lago via the the Australian broodmare, Stoneyfell Road (by Fairy King USA) who won six with a number of Listed Sydney races. She was trained by Mark Walker out of the Te Akau stables in Matamata, travelling extensively over two seasons. Opie Bosson saw most action as jockey in New Zealand with Chris Johnson, Noel Harris and Sam Collett all spending time in the saddle. Damien Oliver rode the mare extremely well in Australia on her Trans-Tasman raids.

A winner of twelve races including an outstanding 4.5 length victory in the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks in March 2007 at Trentham, she also won the Gr.3 Lowland Stakes at Trentham in early March 2007, the Gr.3 Desert Gold Stakes at Trentham in January 2007, the Listed Ray Coupland Stakes and the Listed Slade Farm Stakes in 2006. Her nemesis in the 3YO season was Veloce Bella whom often battled the filly right to the line but rarely got the better of her.

In October 2006 she finished a valiant second to Dorabella in the Gr.1 NZ 1000 Guineas in Christchurch. She went on to a courageous third against both sexes in the Gr.1 NZ 2000 Guineas that same month. In late December 2006 Princess Coup was second in the Gr.2 Cambridge Stud Eight Carat Classic for 3YO fillies and second in the Gr.2 Sir Tristram Fillies' Classic at Te Rapa in February 2007. Princess Coup was named New Zealand Bloodstock 2006/07 Filly of the Year and clinched the prestigious honour of 2006/07 Mercedes Champion Three Year Old in August 2007. The following month she was named South Island 3YO of the Year as well as South Island Horse of the Year. As a 4YO, Princess Coup finished third in the Gr.1 Stoney Bridge Stakes in September 2007 behind Seachange and Sir Slick. She then went on to score a sensational win in New Zealand's richest race, the Group 1 $2,000,000 Kelt Capital Stakes (WFA) over 2040m in October 2007. She was named Mercedes Champion Middle Distance Performer and Mercedes Champion Stayer for the 2007/08 season.

In 2007 Princess Coup finished a gallant third in the A$2.5 million Gr.1 Caulfield Cup behind Master O'Reilly in Melbourne, and followed this up with a phenomenal run to finish second in the A$755,000 Gr.1 Mackinnon Stakes at Flemington in November, won by Sirmione at 60-1. In February 2008 Princess Coup was fourth in the Gr.1 Orr Stakes, before winning the A$200,000 Gr.2 St George Stakes, both in Melbourne. Sirmeone popped up again when Princess Coup finished second in the A$1 million Gr.1 Australian Cup in Melbourne before travelling to Sydney and finishing runner-up to Tuesday Joy in both the A$400,000 Gr.1 Ranvet Stakes and the A$2.2 million Gr.1 BMW Stakes. It was a brilliant run of form that could have been something special with better luck.

In her lead up to the 2008 $2 million Kelt Capital Stakes, Princess Coup stormed home to claim the $250,000 Gr.1 Stoney Bridge Stakes, her third Group one race victory. Two weeks later she defended her Kelt Capital crown with a scintillating 1.5 length win. The mare had a crack again in late 2008 finishing her career in Australia with 9th placings in the 2008 Cox Plate and the McKinnon. Princess Coup earned more prize money in New Zealand than any other horse in New Zealand's history at the time. She won twelve races from 33 starts for a total of just over NZ$4.23 million in stakes.

RACE RECORD - 33: 12-7-3

EARNINGS - A$3,751,316

New Zealand Oaks (2007)

Kelt Capital Stakes (2007, 2008)

Desert Gold Stakes (2007)

Lowland Stakes (2007)

Stoneybridge Stakes (2008)

Gr.2 St George Stakes