Murray Baker is gearing up for another carnival assault
The man who has trained the most Australian Group One winners from a New Zealand base is gearing up for another carnival assault.
Murray Baker, who now trains in partnership with Andrew Forsman, celebrated his 20th Australian Group One win when Bonneval claimed the Oaks in Sydney in April.
Bonneval is one of three Group One winners Baker is setting for the 2017 Caulfield Cup.
Jon Snow (ATC Australian Derby) and Lizzie l’Amour (New Zealand Stakes) are also in the mix along with stablemate Eleonora who ran third in the VRC Oaks.
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“Eleonora’s only had the 10 starts, won three and missed a place only once and that was when she got held up badly,” Baker told NZ Racing Desk.
“It’s just all about keeping them sound and happy until they get on that plane later on in August.
“They will all be looking at the Caulfield Cup and Lizzie l’Amour could run in some fillies and mares’ races on the way through.”
Baker believes Bonneval’s four consecutive wins to end her three-year-old season make her a leading candidate as NZ Horse of the Year.
“She’s very good and she’s got to be a big chance to get the Horse of the Year,” Baker said.
“She won two Oaks and at Randwick she was just outstanding. You wouldn’t have given her a chance 500 metres from home and yet she won by four and a half lengths.”
Baker also cites stable history to state Jon Snow’s case.
“Australian Derby form usually works out well in Melbourne,” he said.
“Nom du Jeu won in Sydney and ran second in the Caulfield Cup. Dundeel was the leading four-year- old at weight-for- age and Mongolian Khan won the Caulfield Cup.”
Baker’s team will be completed by rising three-year-old Weather With You, who has been placed in two of his three starts including a second to Qiji Phoenix in the Listed Champagne Stakes.
Qiji Phoenix has been transferred to trainer Chris Waller to be prepared for a 2017 Caulfield Guineas campaign.
