The red hot combination of trainer Lisa Latta and Lincoln Farms struck again when Platinum Princess proved too tough in the G2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m) at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day.

Platinum Princess (5m Keeper – Merle Park by Machiavellian) produced a determined finish while weaving through the field to score by a head.  The mare has had a busy campaign and connections have nominated her for the G1 Thorndon Mile at Trentham next month.

Palmerston North based Latta and Lincoln Farms owners John and Linda Street won last year’s Karaka Million with Fort Lincoln (Charge Forward) and the G2 Wellington Guineas with President Lincoln (O’Reilly).  Their promising Fastnet Rock filly Lady de Chine is being aimed at the 2012 Karaka Million at Ellerslie on January 29.

Platinum Princess had won the G2 Coupland’s Bakeries Mile at Riccarton in November before a below par performance when unplaced in the G1 Captain Cook Stakes on December 3.

Bred by Karreman Bloodstock, Platinum Princess was purchased for $115,000 from The Oaks Stud at NZ Bloodstock’s 2008 Karaka Select Sale.

Her sire Keeper has just finished covering his 10th book of mares at Cambridge Stud.  Her dam Merle Park (USA) was bred by Darley and she is half-sister to Italian stakes winner Champery (Bahri).