Daryl Crone will be chasing his maiden Group 1 success this Saturday night when Prince of Rock goes around in The 2024 Haras Des Trotteurs The Great Square at Albion Park.
The four-year-old raced in last week’s The Stellar Square finishing sixth, but is ready and raring ahead of the $150,000 event.
“He trained on good this week and I couldn’t be happier,” Crone said. “When we landed, he had a virus and he took a couple of weeks to get over it, we are lucky we came over a little bit early.
“I couldn’t be happier with his run last week after getting interfered with, he still ran 59 for his 2100 (meters) and was hard on the bit and he wanted to run.”
The squaregaiter has drawn 10 for the 2138m event. Fellow Victorian Tina Ridis is set to pilot the gelding out of Yankee Princess.
“We don’t mind (the draw), he can go around or sit and sprint, we will see how it plays out as the race goes on,” he said. “He is not actually real quick off the gate, but he can muster and just keep motoring. We will see what happens.”
A Group 1 has alluded the 59-year-old, but a top tier success would be the ultimate reward.
“It would be great that is what all the hard work is for,” he said.
Fellow Victorians, the David Miles-prepared Rockinwithattitude (six) and the Jess Tubbs-prepared Shes Ruby Roo (four) have drawn the front row.