Smart mare Empress Me continued to work her way back to her best form with a strong win in the LED Super Screens Handicap (1600m) at Eagle Farm.

Empress Me won at Class 3 level at the Gold Coast on May 25 before running a reasonable fifth at the same venue on June 15 but proved too strong at Benchmark 75 level.

Priscilla Schmidt rode Empress Me at her last win before missing her next start but was back aboard for her $17,000 assignment.

Schmidt always had Empress Me settled midfield in the early and middle stages of the race before easing her off the rail when she pace slowed at the 600 metres.

Empress Me began to improve around the field approaching the home turn to have her momentum up when she set out after the leaders at the top of the straight.

The daughter of Jet Spur hit the front at the 150 metres before sustaining her effort over the closing stages of the race to score by a neck, breaking through the $100,000 earnings barrier at her 16^th outing.

O’Dea said the four-year-old was steadily improving but had improvement left in here.

 “She is probably not back to her old form but at least she’s winning,” O’Dea said.

“I think it’s more a mental thing with her.

“It’s fair to say she’s a bit of an enigma but she might gain a bit of confidence from that win.”

Empress Me brought up her fourth win, and second in town, with her latest success while her earnings leapt to $111,000 after securing the $11,050 winner’s cheque.

Congratulations to Empress Me’s owners - Christopher Boyd, Ashley Fong, William King, Michael McKew, Proven Thoroughbreds (Mgr: Jamie Walter), Niugini Racing (Mgr: Robert Allport), David Minton, Stewart Roberts, David Sampson and Gerard Tiffen.

© MiStable 2013