Racing: Pacer should pay his way

North Canterbury pacer Young Prince should go a long way to paying his way for a North Island campaign when lining up in the $15,000 Centennial Hawera Cup at Hawera today.

Young Prince showed a win was close when second to Lord McEnroe on a grass track at Avondale on March 16.

The Avondale race was the second for Young Prince on his northern campaign after a fresh-up sixth at Cambridge six days earlier.

Co-trainer John Parsons yesterday said he expected Young Prince to be improved further by his most recent run.

"I've got no excuses for the other day [Avondale]. We got beaten fair and square, but I think that run would have brought him on a wee bit further," Parsons said.

Young Prince was sent north, seeking opportunities like the Hawera Cup, accompanying stablemate Harnetts Creek who campaigned at the Interdominions.

Young Prince has won three of 21 starts and is proven on grass tracks. "He's no star, but he's usually fairly well mannered from a stand and I don't think the 3000m will worry him either."

Young Prince faces some stiff opposition in the Hawera Cup, a discretionary handicap for four-six win horses, including another fresh runner to the meeting in Myson Dylan.

The Fake Left five-year-old impressed with a last start second at Cambridge last Thursday.

Myson Dylan has yet to race on a grass track, but on his breeding that should not be a problem. His sire is the same as one of his rivals in tomorrow's race, The Faker, who won the 2005 Stratford Cup on the grass earlier this month.

Also worthy of respect tomorrow is Miss Abigail who won the cup prelude yesterday.

Other chances include prelude runner-up Enunciator who is a model of consistency while Lord McEnroe was hampered by a piece of string from the horse's gear which became entangled in his sulky wheel when finishing fifth in the cup prelude.

- NZPA