High-class line-up for Jackson Stakes

Press, 3 September 1981, Page 20

High-class line-up for Jackson Stakes

Special correspondent Wellington A year ago Prince Majestic made an instant impression with his win in the Wanganui Guineas. On Saturday his track record could improve when he meets a strong field in the Jackson Stakes, a $20,000 weight-for-age event and the first leg of the double. Prince Majestic represents the best class and he has shown this in his racing both in New Zealand and in Australia but he will have to be good to win on Saturday. His opposition includes Axeman and Anderil from the north, Langeland and Master Grey from the central districts and a talented trio of three-year-old, Client, from Feilding, and Divine Ruler and Loughanure from Te Awamutu. Prince Majestic has raced twice in this campaign. Last June he won the 1400 m Tauranga Classic, and then last month failed by just a long head to beat Kahu in the

Jellicoe Handicap at the Pai kuranga Hunt meeting. With track conditions - likely to be in his favour and j given that 1600 suits him, - Prince Majestic makes con--1 siderable appeal. ’ Though he is now six, 1 Axeman is rated very highly f in the north and his first visit to this area will be watched , with considerable interest. . J He gave a fighting perform- ’ ance to win the Sheriff Handicap at Avondale a week i ’ ago and he won the City of , ' Rotorua Handicap in May. ‘ > Like Prince Majestic, he is i Australia bound this spring . I and 1600 m at this stage of . his preparation will suit him I nicely. = Anderil is the class . ■ sprinter in the field. Two t sprints this season have pro- ‘ duced seconds at Matamata, with 59.5 kg and then a \ second behind Axeman last 5 week. 2 Langeland and Master c Grey look good chances from I the local area. r

Langeland looked fit when he tried 1320 last week and he did run on well enough to get ninth without being placed under great pressure. His record over 1600 m is good and the resultant improvement could make him very hard to beat. Master Grey also does well over 1600 m. He has been busy enough since his first and fourth at Riccarton earlier on, but after a miserable run in the Foxbridge Plate, he did well to run sixth in the Jellicoe Handicap at Pakuranga. Abe’s Order was seventh in the Owen Handicap and the best guide to his chances is certain to be his winning run in the Winter Cup. This will be his first over the distance since then. Tailifer is in good form as well, though his last start win at Hastings was over 2000 m. Prince Lee has been disappointing and though Despa is classy, he could need this run.

Koiro Trelay was listed as Melbourne Cup favourite this week, but it would cause a big surprise if he won this. The Jackson Stakes has four mares listed, but Cielle, Royal Wink and, surprisingly, Kip, are listed among the emergencies. Acadia was eighth in the Winter Cup, then battled fairly well to get third in the Owen Handicap here last week. Client and Divine Ruler were second and third in the Wanganui Guineas last week. Of the two, Client’s run was probably more impressive and he went very close to picking up the major prize, r but Divine Ruler’s effort was sound also The improver though could be Loughanure. He was having his first race since the Ellerslie Sires Produce Stakes in April when eighth in the 1320 m Owen Handicap last week. Saturday’s dis-, tance should suit him much better.