Ghostly Presence charges to Princess Elizabeth triumph

ETOBICOKE, Ontario — Ghostly Presence put it all together in Saturday’s $251,200 Princess Elizabeth Stakes at Woodbine, winning the 1 1/16-mile route in an upset over the favored Enstone.

Ghostly Presence ($41) angled into the two-path in second from post 10 on the first turn. Enstone proceeded to honest fractions on a substantial lead, and looked the part of a winner in the stretch. But Ghostly Presence came charging in the final furlong to prevail by a half-length in a time of 1:43.90.

After breaking slowly, Mythical Mission rallied wide from far back to finish third, and Spring Tempest checked in fourth in the 11-horse field of Canadian-bred 2-year-old fillies.

Steven Bahen rode Ghostly Presence for trainer Roger Attfield. She was coming off a fourth-place finish in an allowance won by Mythical Mission.

“I thought her last race was really good, actually,” Attfield said.

“She didn’t have a great trip. I thought it was a pretty good race, and I kind of liked her in here, but she drew the outside, and I really don’t like that outside post going a mile and a sixteenth. But she had enough speed to get out and over by the turn, without having to use her. From there on out, I was quite happy where she was in the race.”

Ghostly Presence collected $150,000 in her first stakes success for Chiefswood Stable, which also bred the daughter of Ghostzapper.