SNAIL PACE SET IN CHIEF EVENT

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 515, 19 November 1928, Page 11

SNAIL PACE SET IN CHIEF EVENT

JELLICOE HANDICAP MADE TO ORDER FOR NATIVE PRINCE Without wishing to detract from the well deserved victory of Native Prince in the Jellicoe Handicap, in which he was excellently handled by trainer J. Shaw, it cannot be denied that his success was assisted by the slow pace set over the early stages of the journey. The track was fit on Saturday for fast times and candidates had everything in their favour, but either through lack of ability or bad generalship horses in the principal event failed to put up anything approaching fast time; in fact, nothing in the Jellicoe Handicap ran up to the handicap allotted. The Onehunga Handicap, with its 4.38 limit, was a truer contest and the placed horses, Laplander, Free Advice and Gold Dial, all registered faster time than Native Prince, winner of the 4.32 Jellicoe Handicap. With six chances on the machine the public speculated freely, making tho Native Prince-Jackie AudubonJewel Pointer bracket the first choice with £1,756, but there was good money for Mate o’ Mine £1,037, Loch Moigh £940 and Gold Jacket £926. There was nothing wrong with the start, except that The Shrew was slow to go away and Edwards at once took Mate o’ Mine to the front, being followed by Billy Sea, Native Prince and Loch Moigh. The half-mile disk was reached in 1.14 and when the mile peg was passed in 2.22 there was no change in the order of the leading bunch. Along the back Native Prince moved up behind the leader, while Gold Jacket made a forward move and was running next on terms with The Shrew, Loch Moigh, Billy Sea and Jackie Audubon being handy in a bunch. Jack Shaw took the Prince to the lead entering tho straight, and inside the distance Andy Bryce brought Gold Jacket along with a great dash, but Native Prince had something in reservo and stalled off the challenge by a neck, with Jackie Audubon, who finished well in the straight, a length away third, followed closely by Billy Sea, after whom came Mate o’ Mine, The Shrew, Loch Moigh, with Jewel Pointer last. Tho winner’s time was 4.32 1-5, which reveals the basis of the final mile at approximately 2.10. The Shrew went a sound race and it is evident Bill Head is getting the

Hastings favourite back to her better days. Loch Moigh was the disappointment, but he got into a bad position, which caused him to cover a lot of extra ground. Billy Sea was always in the picture, but the honours of the race wero with Gold Jacket, and the latter would probably have been better suited with a warm pace all the way.