Prince Majestic in stylish win

Press, 1 September 1980, Page 31

Prince Majestic in stylish win

Special correspondent Wellington Prince Majestic won the Wanganui Guineas on Saturday with authority and if he continues in similar vein then the A.J.C. Derby at Randwick next Autumn will see him clashing with the best of the Australian classic colts.

That is the plan of his owner, Mr Bob Ross, who races the colt in partnership with his wife.

But Ray Verner, the trainer, was a little more cautious. “Obviously we have to think about Australia,” he said. “But in the meantime .we will- just keep going.” And keeping going includes the Hawke’s Bay Guineas on the second day at Hastings, then the Great Northern Guineas at Ellerslie and after that the Wellington Guineas at Trentham. Beyond that, it is a wait and see approach. Prince Majestic had impressed when successful in two juvenile races at Trentham last March and had been allotted 53kg in the Free Handicap at the end of the season. The colt had been out of work for just three weeks before he came back to run an unlucky second at Tauranga 11 days before his Guineas victory. Bought at the National Yearling Sale at Trantham for $22,000, Pimce Majestic is from the second crop of the Vaguely Noble stallion Noble Bijou, which stands at White Robe Lodge Stud, Mosgiel. His dam is the grand racemare Princess Mellay, which won two New Zealand Cups and a New Zealand Oaks in her 18 wins from 1000 m to 3200 m.

The Guineas had its hard luck stories, especially for Chris McNab and the warm favourite So Boid, which eventually finished seventh. The. colt had zipped into the lead from the start in the chute, 1 but . McNab was hauling back on the reins in an effort to'.keep him in check, something So Bold

resented strongly. ■He ducked out going down the back straight and just before entering the straight he went out violently again, carrying others wide, incuding Selando, and enabling the trailers to nip through on the inside.

McNab explained that So Bold likes to do his work, early in his races, out found the turns at Wanganui a little too tight. “As soon as I released the pressure a little he ran out, but I don’t think, he would have seen out the distance anyway,” he said. . At any rate, when So Bold went out on the turn, Bill Skelton on Kaimanawa seized the opportunity to whip his mount through on the inside.

They set up a handy lead, but by the distance it was obvious that Kaimanawa was not holding his gallop strongly and Prince Majestic, wider put on the track and with David Peake riding vigorously, hit the front inside the last 100 m and went on to win by a length. Kaimanawa, which had been successful at Hastings earlier in the month, will return there for a tilt at the Hawke’s Bay Guineas. Third was Officer Scott, ridden by Scot Lucock, which produced a top run from the middle of the field to bp two lengths away. The effort was a good one and the colt will be a threat in the Hawke’s Bay Guineas. . , Perhaps hardest hit of all in the scrimmaging on the turn was Dianne Moseley and John Wayne. They were taken wide and then squeezed between a couple of runners. Diann lost her off-side stirrup, but did a fine job of keeping John Wayne up to his work, finishing fourth and only half a length off . Officer Scott. . : \

Selando, a stablemate i of Judena, finished sixth,? a good effort in the circumstances.•: The El Mondo — Heaven :Sent gelding will be accompanying Judena to Australia on September 11. ■' '•» ' ' "JEI