A decisive ride from Johnathon Parkes aboard
Julinsky Prince in Saturday's Captain Cook Stakes at Trentham enabled them to
double their Group One tally together.
The Wanganui-based jockey and the diminutive six-year-old opened their account
at the top level in the Windsor Park Plate on the capital city course in
October and they staged a repeat performance in the Rydges Wellington-sponsored
feature.
Parkes was three back on the outer on a dawdling pace before he sent Julinsky
Prince forward mid-race to sit outside the leader.
"They were going quite slowly and he wanted to get going so I let him slide
from the 800 and he just kept kicking," he said.
"He's a star and every time he goes out he tries 110 percent. He's a neat horse
and so easy to ride."
Parkes' initiative was also praised by Julinsky Prince's Marton trainer Fraser
Auret.
"If he hadn't made that move then the result may well have been different," he
said. "Johnathon has done a fantastic job."
A close second in the Gr.2 Tauranga Stakes at his previous appearance, Julinsky
Prince was in front soon after straightening and he fought tooth and nail to
the line to earn the 10th win of his 33 start career.
"It's just unbelievable, everything has just clicked," Auret said. "He was
fourth in this race last year and he's getting his just desserts."
A son of leading sire Darci Brahma, Julinsky Prince has been placed one in three starts beyond a mile and he may
now get another chance over ground with the Gr.1 Zabeel Classic over 2000
metres at Ellerslie on Boxing Day a possible option.
Authentic Paddy produced a career best effort at Trentham to finish runner-up
ahead of Soriano and the southern mare Hayley Maree was fourth ahead of Shuka,
winner of the previous two editions of the Captain Cook.
The hot favourite Kawi could make no impression from the back in the straight
and finished sixth. – NZ Racing Desk.