Prince Harada On Trial For Group 1 Sprints

Trainer Danny O’Brien has revealed that Prince Harada could head to Adelaide or Brisbane for Group 1 events if he is able to win the 2015 Auckland Racing Club Trophy at Flemington on Saturday.

Prince Harada has the chance to record a second straight win in the Auckland Racing Club Trophy at Flemington this weekend. Photo by: Adrienne Bicknell

Prince Harada has the chance to record a second straight win in the Auckland Racing Club Trophy at Flemington this weekend. Photo by: Adrienne Bicknell

Prince Harada was extremely highly-rated as a three-year-old, but he failed to live up to his promise in races like the Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) and Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) during the 2013 Spring Racing Carnival and he was sent for a lengthy stint in the spelling paddock following his seventh place finish behind Shamus Award in the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) last year.

The Haradasun gelding was sent to the spelling paddock for a lengthy break from racing before he returned to racing with a narrow victory over Boomwaa in Theshark.com.au Handicap (1100m) at Caulfield on April 4.

O’Brien told Racing Ahead that Prince Harada has taken plenty of benefit from his first-up victory and he revealed that the four-year-old could bet set for races like the Group 1 The Goodwood (1200m) at Morphettville on May 16 or the Group 1 BTC Cup (1200m) at Doomben on May 9.

“He has progressed nicely as you would expect,” O’Brien said.

“He had over a year off before his first-up win there at Caulfield and he has taken good improvement from it.

“He is a horse that I feel will appreciate the straight and he has shown plenty of talent as a young horse.

“It is going to be tricky because he is drawn in and that hasn’t been the place to be in recent times.

“I won’t pre-judge it and I am sure that Craig will have a plan.

“Obviously he has raced in far better races as a three-year-old, so if he did win we would look at options in Adelaide or possibly Brisbane.”

Prince Harada will be joined in the Auckland Racing Club field by stablemate Beauty’s Beast and O’Brien said that he is optimistic about the Guillotine gelding’s chances in the $80,000 event this weekend.

Beauty’s Beast returned to racing with a sixth place finish in The Races.com.au Handicap (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 28, but O’Brien is confident that the four-year-old will produce a better performance this weekend.

“We are really pleased with the horse,” O’Brien said.

“He has certainly shown that he is better off right-handed, hence why he was first-up in Sydney the other day.

“Obviously the other option that you have got in Victoria is the straight and we are going to have a look at how he handles it.

“He is second-up off a four week break, he is nice and fresh and he should run really well.”

Prince Harada is currently available at Auckland Racing Club Trophy odds of $3.20 with Ladbrokes, while Beauty’s Beast is priced at $15 to return to winning form.

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.