Here it is - the centimetre that had everyone rejoicing after the Stewards at Riccarton

No, its not a photo finish for first - but it might just as well have been.

For Princess Amelie’s nose decision over Killarney and Prince Oz for third in the Stewards Handicap at Riccarton was worth even more than the race’s $59,375 winning stake to Lincoln Farms’ owners John and Lynne Street.

Third prizemoney of $9500 paled into insignificance when compared with the value trainer Lisa Latta added to the mare with her black type placing in the Group III race.

And rider Robbie Hannam knew it when he came back to scale and saw how happy the Streets and trainer Lisa Latta were.

Princess Amelie’s placing thrilled owner John Street and trainer Lisa Latta.“The way John reacted you’d haver thought he’d won the race,” Hannam said. “It was an impressive effort and everyone knew what the placing meant.”

Princess Amelie’s value as a broodmare would have been boosted by 10 times what she earned in the race and Latta is now raising her sights even higher to try to snare Group I recognition for the mare.

Were she to win a Group I race the value of the Snitzel mare would soar to between $750,000 to $1 million.

Latta today nominated Princess Amelie for the Group I $250,000 Telegraph Handicap at Trentham on January 18. She is already entered for the Group I $200,000 Railway Handicap at Ellerslie on January 1 and Latta says that is a better target.

“The Telegraph has been changed to weight-for-age this season so it’s not a good race for her,” Latta said. “But maybe it will put off a few northern trainers from coming down for the race.”

Being just a rating 81 galloper means Princess Amelie will also probably have to win again before New Year’s Day to make the field at Ellerslie.

“We’d be flat making the field at the moment but we’ll get a better line on her in the next month.

“We also have to be realistic - we don’t know yet whether she’s strong enough to be up to Group I company. She’s only four and is not a strong mare. She’ll be even better next year.”

Latta says there are plenty of Listed and Group III races in the north to keep building on Princess Amelie’s black type record.

“I’ve put her in the paddock for a week now and she’ll run next in the Listen Open 1200 at Otaki.”

The $50,000 Levin Stakes (1200m) is run on Saturday week, November 29.

“She goes well fresh and she’s just so well at the moment.”

Robbie Hannam … “super run.”Hannam can vouch for that.

Despite being under a ride over the crossing, the mare kept fighting right to the line.

“I think she just got a bit lost over the crossing. But she handled herself very well. You’ve got to remember it was her first trip away and it was a big step-up, her first time against the big boys.

“But she was certainly impressive and showed there’s more there - it was a super run.

“I wasn’t sure if I’d run third. I knew I’d beaten the one on the outside of me (Killarney) but didn’t know about the one inside me (Prince Oz).”

Hannam’s doubts were answered by the reaction as soon as he returned to scale.

Princess Amelie ran the 1200 metres in 1:08.69, with her final 600 in 33.76, times which compared very favourably to winner Shezallmine and runner-up Sensei.

Princess Amelie now boasts a record of five wins and three placings from just 13 starts, for stakes of $86,575.