His initial target may be Saturday’s Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill but exciting Victorian colt Prince Harada tightened his grip on favoritism for next month’s Group 1 BECK Caulfield Guineas (1600m) following Wednesday’s taking of first acceptances.
As expected, the Tony Vasil trained galloper was one of 83 three-year-olds paid up for the $1 million Caulfield feature when first acceptances closed at midday on Wednesday but it was the absence of one of his potential rivals, Kiwi star Cauthen, that was the biggest surprise.
Trainer Andrew Campbell reported the son of Darci Brahma pulled up sore after his unplaced effort in Saturday’s Listed Henry Bucks Best Dressed Stakes (1400m) at Flemington and would subsequently return to New Zealand.
David Hayes’ leading Guineas contender Fast ‘N’ Rocking, who will join Prince Harada in Saturday’s Golden Rose, remains a fancied prospect for the 12 October race alongside eight of his Lindsay Park stable mates.
Impressive Group 2 Danehill Stakes winner Charlie Boy remains in contention for Gerald Ryan as do fellow interstate-trained gallopers Eurozone (Bart & James Cummings), Eclair Big Bang (Phillip Stokes) and Zoustar (Chris Waller).
Another Flemington Stakes-grade winner from the weekend, the Darley prepared Long John, was joined in the first acceptances by stable mate Sidestep while Group 3 Ming Dynasty Stakes (1400m) winner Aussies Love Sport is one of 10 Gai Waterhouse-trained horses still in the race.
Notable omissions from the first acceptances included Peter Moody’s well-bred duo Il Cavallo and Rodway, the unbeaten Cruden Bay and Jason Coyle’s in-form Va Pensiero.
Click here to view first acceptances for the BECK Caulfield Guineas.
– Racing Victoria
