Prince Harada has displaced Fast `N’ Rocking as the favourite for the $1 million Golden Rose on September 14 with the news the colt’s connections will pay the $50,000 late entry fee.
The Tony Vasil-trained Prince Harada finished an unlucky second to Fast `N’ Rocking in the McNeil Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday.
Fast `N’ Rocking was immediately elevated to favouritism for the Group One Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill but that was short-lived with Prince Harada taking over at $3.80 in TAB’s market on Monday ahead of the David Hayes-trained colt at $4.60.
Prince Harada will be ridden by Hugh Bowman in Sydney, replacing Steven Arnold who was aboard when the colt copped interference at a crucial stage in the McNeil.
The winner’s jockey Brett Prebble and Lauren Stojakovic, rider of fourth-placed Miracles Of Life, were both suspended for causing Prince Harada’s problems.
Sidestep has eased to $13 in the Golden Rose following his torrid run in Saturday’s Run To The Rose in Sydney.
The Golden Slipper runner-up finished last in the race and emerged the worse for wear with cuts to a leg.
Former favourite Overreach, winner of the Slipper, has not been seen yet this spring and has been taken out of the Golden Rose market.
Run To The Rose winner Va Pensiero is not in the market with connections unlikely to pay the late entry which is due next Monday.
Prince Harada is 30th on the latest order of entry for the Golden Rose but is expected to gain a start with the high attrition rate.
The colt is a son of Haradasun who Vasil trained to run a close second to Miss Finland in the 2006 McNeil Stakes before he went on to become a Group One winner in Australia and then at Royal Ascot where he raced for Aidan O’Brien and Coolmore.
