Shifnal Prince wins Harcourt Stakes

Press, 23 October 1984, Page 41

Shifnal Prince wins Harcourt Stakes

Special correspondent Wellington David Peake’s trip to Wellington for the Trentham races proved worthwhile when he rode Shifnal Prince to a big win over Commissionaire and company yesterday in. the Wellington Racing Club’s feature, the $20,000 Harcourt Stakes. The margin at the finish was four lengths and a half, with Commissionaire an easy second in the end, but not before he gave the rider, Noel Harris, a few anxious moments on the turn. Coming into the final 800 m Commissionaire had moved up third, shading Shifnal Prince. But on the false track, deluged by heavy rain and hail, the big horse was not happy as he started to make the final bend. On the point of the turn he almost fell, Harris said, and he lost lengths as runners went around him. Peake found a way through with Shifnal Prince. In the straight Shifnal Prince bounded clear and the 1 result was never in doubt. To his very great credit, Commissionaire found another gear and finisihed second but Harris felt him wanting in confidence.

for all that neither the trainer, Noel Eales, nor Harris would take any credit away from the winner. It was the third win on the course by Shifnal Prince, which in January managed both the Anniversary Handicap and the Jarden Handicap. Raced by his breeders, Carl O’Grady and Colin Reynolds, Shifnal Prince has been trained all along by Jack Winder at Cambridge. He has been a fine galloper for them with 10 wins and 10 placings from 35 starts. Yesterday’s win took his earnings to $108,500. He has been tried in Austrlia, but without much success. Winder booked him for Trentham as he felt there was little available for him at home. This season Shifnal Prince has won the Matamata Cup, and Winder has not always had an easy time keeping him up to the mark. Shifnal Prince will now go back home to Cambridge and is to be prepared for a bid on the weight-for-age $30,000 Great Britain-NZ Stakes (1600 m a group two’ event scheduled for November 24. Peake has had his share of success at Trentham in

recent times, but this was his first Harcourt success. Commissionaire will head south, all being well. His -- major mission is likely to be’, the weight-for-age $22,500 Canterbury Gold Cup. ’ * Always Summer was third in the Harcourt and Otoia Belle fourth. Both battled well over the 1600 m in which the winner took Imin 36.925, a good time under the conditions.