Crowned Prince has that regal look

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32779, 2 December 1971, Page 8

Crowned Prince has that regal look

(Specially written for "The Press’ by the former English jockey. HARRY CARR)

Bernard van Cutsem will be hoping for a short winter. For th® promise of the spring is remarkably high. His two-year-olds made a tremendous impact in the season just gone, with Crowned Prince winning the Dewhurst Stakes, Sharpen Up taking the Middle Park Stakes, and High Top the Observer Gold Cup. Van Cutsem considers Crowned Prince to be the best horse In his stable and few would argue with that. Indeed, Lester Piggott has already predicted that this will be his partner in both the Two Thousand Guineas and the Derby—an unusual statement

from Piggott at this stage of the game. In past years, Piggott has been reluctant to make any sort of decision until after the winter and time has usually proved him right. If he had not waited last year, for instance, he would doubtless have picked Minsky as his Derby partner without leaving the option open. Crowned Prince might prove himself yet another talking horse. Certainly his first appearance was a terrible anti-climax, but since then he has looked the class horse that we all believed him to be. COST He cost a record £250,000 as a yearling and I suspect that this high-flying gamble will be justified. In his stable gallops, he has always looked an outstanding horse and this was why his connections found that disappointing debut so perplexing. It was after one such gallop that Lester Piggott described him as a better prospect than Nijinsky at the same age. The bookmakers seemingly all agree. Crowned Prince is winter favourite for both the Guineas and the Derby. However, there is some doubt about his ability to get the full mile and a half, though this does not seem to worry either his jockey or his trainer. These stamina doubts have become rather a feature of classic seasons and it is worth remembering that the same questions were asked about Sir Ivor. Nijinsky and Mill Reef. Van Cutsem has not said so In as many words, but I get the Impression that he considers High Top slightly more promlsIng than Sharpen Up.

High Top indeed looked more than useful when winning the Observer Gold Cup at Doncaster. He ran on very gamely in the final furlong to hold off Steel Pulse by three-quarters of a length. High Top blew hard for a considerable time after that win and then Van Cutsem commented: “I am surprised he is blowing as much, but it confirms my opinion that he does not exert himself at home.” It is surprising how often the lazy horses prove themselves when it matters most. TRIPLE BID? This abundance of riches may tempt Van Cutsem to make a triple bid for the French, Irish and English Two Thousand Guineas. One of the odd features about the Two Thousand Guineas in seasons past has been the dominant market position of Piggott. Time after time, he has had the choice of the two most fancied horses and he may well have this again. For Roberto’s bad form in France has dearly been forgiven. Most professionals seemingly agree that this was just too bad to be true.

Piggott, who rode Roberto that day. still rates him as a very serious classic contender. At this moment he looks the best of the Irish horses—but I would be surprised if one or two more do not emerge in the spring. Noel Murless is a great believer in bringing along two-year-olds slowly. So one must always be cautious in making predictions about Warren Place.

Yaroslav is probably the best two-year-old to emerge from those stables last season and he looks to me a good Derby horse. But Bill Williamson describes Deep Diver as the best two-year-old he has ever ridden, and that really is praise. Deep Diver has been carrying all before him in France, ven.’ much in the manner of My Swallow a season earlier. I can only hope that fortune proves a little kinder to Deep Diver. Even so. everything suggests that Crowned Prince will be the one they will all have to beat And the big question is whether he can truly follow in the steps of previous winter favourites such as Nijinsky and Mill Reef, (f he does, we can all count ourselves very fortunate indeed.