A BRILLIANT EFFORT

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 13, 16 July 1934, Page 6

A BRILLIANT EFFORT

MERCIAN PRINCE'S DOUBLE

■■ Mercian Prince registered a brilliant periormance in repeating bis Thursday's ■winning eftort in the Kia Ora Hack Handicap with astounding ultimate ease under the steadier of 9.0. .Once they were^on the home stretch he made simple playthings or the opposition. He improved with every race he had at the meeting and on his Saturday's form he would not be interior to the best of the open bandicanperj racing at the; fixture. Mercian Prince ran a truly sound and solid race. He improved Iris position steadily round the; field oiiithe home turn and he and Vocal were next following Wee Musk -and Redßufus as they lauded m the straight: Then Vocal burst through along the fence to the front, but Mercian Prince quickly wore his young opponent down and went on to score, by three or four lengths from Eed Rnrus, who just got back in time to-beat Vocal for second place by ahead. Eed Rufus, tho favourite, was always splendidly placed to win, but' even the vigour of L. G. Morris could not make him near a.match for. the winner. He hung- on better ■ • than Vocal and that gained him-second place.. ..-..:. . -■:■■.. Vocal, also better fancied than the winner, was always near Mercian Prince in the running, but he was able to improve his position at' the expense of the rest with a clear run on or over near the feuee. He came through brilliantly at the false rail, but he could not sustain the effort when called on to withstand challenges. For a colt of such short experience as he has bail he stood 'up to his hard, racing at the meeting wonderfully well.

The best of: the others wore McHeath (running on at the end), Wee Musk (the pacemaker most of the way), Dorado (who made up a lot of ground after dwelling at the start), Kalmuck (finishing well), Swift and Sure, Calydon, and Whetuma. The last three were, always well enough Placed had they possessed the requisite ability. The remainder were never in. the picture, the last to complete being Tres Sec, whose form at the meeting was extremely disappointing.