Higgins will seek Skelton’s advice

Press, 25 September 1980, Page 24

Higgins will seek Skelton’s advice

NZPA Sydney The widely experienced jockey, Roy Higgins, will consult Bob Skelton' before he has his first ride on My. Brown Jug in the $30,000 weight-for-age Underwood Stakes (2000 m at Caulfield, Melbourne, today. Higgins is to talk to the former New Zealander, who has ridden the four-year-old in all his previous races in Melbourne, to /get inside knowledge of the horse’s habits. Skelton will be riding another main New Zealand contender for the race, Our Epilogue, which was in. devastating form when he beat Evander by five lengths in the Kilmore Cup (2020 m earlier this month.

My Brown Jug will be out to regain favouritism for the $205,000 Caulfield Cup having slipped from the premier position after finishing second to Abrogast in the Feehan Stakes (1600 m at Moonee Valley last Saturday.

Higgins has not ridden My Brown Jug before, Skelton having handled the four-year-old Godivari entire' in trackwork at Mornington Tuesday, when he easily ran 1

800 m in 54.5 s on the steeple grass, four metres out. Higgins is expecting a forward performance from My Brown Jug, the 5-to-2 favourite for the Underwood Stakes in the latest Sydney markets. “My Brown Jug has had nothing in l his favour,” Higgins said. “None of his three races here have been run to suit ’him, except at Sandown, but there he struck interference.

: “The only problem, which could be unfortunate for My ■ Brown Jug, is that there are ’ no apparent pacemakers in 1 the Underwood.” I Higgins considers that My r Brown Jug will be suited by the Caulfield track and the I distance should also be good ■ for him at this stage. : A win by My Brown Jug i today would bring him to , within $538 of qualifying for ■ the Caulfield Cup, which will be raced on October 18.