Barrier one would not have been Tony Vasil’s first choice for Prince Harada if given the chance to select starting positions for Saturday’s Golden Rose, but you won’t hear the Caulfield trainer complaining.
“I’d probably prefer to be drawn between barrier four and eight, but you’ve just got to take what you get and one is definitely better than 17,” he said.
“With his racing style he’s not going to be able to take full advantage of one, but he’s not going to be posted wide all the way.”
Prince Harada came up with the inside alley at this morning’s allocation of barriers for the $1 million Group 1 and is now $4.20 favourite with TAB.
With the exception of Zoustar, who drew the outside alley in the 17-horse field and is out to $11, most of the leading contenders fared well.
The David Hayes-prepared Fast ‘N’ Rocking, who defeated Prince Harada in the McNeil Stakes (1200m) on 31 August, occupies the $6 second line after drawing barrier five, while the untapped Cluster, who it was feared would not make the field, is at $9 after landing gate seven.
The Bart and James Cummings-trained Eurozone is at $13 after drawing gate two, while Golden Slipper runner-up Sidestep is $15 after landing gate three.
Victoria’s other two representative, Peter Moody-trained pair Dissident ($15) and Thermal Current ($17), drew gates 14 and eight respectively.
Vasil said Prince Harada, who will be ridden by Hugh Bowman, had taken good improvement from his luckless McNeil Stakes effort and would remain in Melbourne until Thursday.
“He’s in tip-top shape,” Vasil said of the son of Haradasun. “He looks a picture.”
The full field, complete with barriers, for the Golden Rose is available via the link