Barrier One Not A Concern For Vasil

Trainer Tony Vasil is confident that barrier one will suit Prince Harada in the Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

Prince Harada

Prince Harada is the narrow favourite for the Group 1 Golden Rose at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia

With seventeen horses in the Golden Rose field the pace is expected to be very quick and a number of speed map experts are concerned that Prince Harada will get too far back in the run and not get a crack at the leaders in the final stages of the race.

Vasil told TVN that he is not worried about the inside draw and believes it might actually be an advantage for the talented three-year-old.

“Given its his first run right handed, which I don’t think he’ll have an issue with anyway, he’ll have the running rail to follow and look at  and he’ll have horses on his outside to help him get around that way,” Vasil said.

“If you draw wide your first go right handed and you’ve got nothing to see or guide you, what ends up happening is that you end up wide and getting lost.

“I really think he’ll jump with them and he doesn’t need to get as far back as he has been.

“If Hughie (jockey Hugh Bowman) can pop out and get clear running he’ll be charging.”

Vasil has had a high opinion of Prince Harada since he won by two and a half lengths on debut at Ballarat and although the colt is yet to taste his first success at Group 1 level, Vasil is already looking ahead to even bigger races during the 2013 Spring Racing Carnival with Prince Harada included in the first acceptances for both the Caulfield Cup (2400m) and the Cox Plate (2040m).

“Historically it’s not normal for three-year-olds to run in the Caulfield Cup, but they have won them,” Vasil told Racing Victoria.

“When you’ve got a good horse you keep all options open and make decisions along the way.”

Savabeel (2004) is the only Cox Plate winner that contested the Golden Rose earlier in the year while a Golden Rose runner has never backed-up in the Caulfield Cup.

About The Author

Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.