Tony Vasil is looking to give Caulfield Guineas hopeful Prince Harada one more off-season start before turning his attention to the spring carnival.
The trainer likened Prince Harada’s talent to that of the colt’s sire Haradasun at the same stage after the two-year-old raced to a 2-1/4-length maiden win at Ballarat on Thursday.
The colt is set to have his next start at either the Mornington city meeting on June 10 or Moonee Valley five days later.
Both options are over 1200m.
“I think he’ll have one more run,” Vasil said.
“He’ll probably go to either one of those and then I’ll probably back off and focus on the spring.”
Vasil is confident the colt, who he described as “potentially one of the best I’ve had”, can measure up in top class races for three-year-olds in the spring.
“He’s a Caulfield Guineas horse,” the trainer said.
“A serious horse.”
Vasil’s highest profile horses have been the half-brothers Elvstroem and Haradasun who were both successful in Australia and overseas.
Elvstroem’s big race successes included a Caulfield Cup, Victoria Derby and Dubai Duty Free, while Haradasun won the George Ryder Stakes and Doncaster as a three-year-old under Vasil’s care before winning a Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot after being transferred to Aidan O’Brien.
Vasil, who also rides trackwork, said Prince Harada was showing all the right signs on the track.
“At the same stage I’m not saying he’s better or going to be as good as Haradasun, but he gives me as much excitement about riding him at the same stage as his sire did,” he said.
