A week after producing Overpass for an upset win in the Expressway Stakes, Bjorn Baker will unveil two more three-year-olds he hopes can play a role during the Sydney autumn carnival.
Maurice’s Medad and War Eternal will both resume in Saturday’s Eskimo Prince Stakes (1200m) and while Overpass had the speed to outpace his Expressway rivals, Baker’s Randwick duo shape as horses who will improve with time and distance.
Not that Baker ever rules out his chances of pulling off a win.
“We’ve got to kick them off somewhere and both horses look really well, and they have both trialled well,” Baker said.
“They are both pretty casual customers and I think they will be better over further, but you’ve got to be in to win and they’ve both got good gates, which is a positive.”
Maurice’s Medad was runner up to subsequent Group 1 winner Converge in the Fernhill Stakes as a juvenile but didn’t come up in the spring, so Baker sent him back to the paddock after just two runs.
He is much happier with him this campaign and will give the horse every chance to qualify for the classic races.
“It’s just one step at a time. We will look to nominate for the Guineas’ and Derby and see what happens, but he’s got to come up and get back to his best to warrant that,” Baker said.
War Eternal returns after placing in the Spring Stakes at Newcastle in November and he is another who Baker anticipates will improve once he gets out to a mile.
“He is always hard to get a guide on because he is so casual in his trackwork and in his trials but we’re happy with him and whatever he does, once he gets over 1400 and a mile, he will be much better,” Baker said.
Maurice’s Medad and War Eternal form part of a handy Randwick team for Baker, who confirmed both Deel With Me and Van Giz would back up from their respective assignments at Rosehill last weekend after pleasing him during the week.
The speedy Malkovich kicks off his campaign in the Ranvet Sprint (1000m) while Frosty Rocks returns from a cheeky fourth in the Magic Millions Cup and goes head-to-head with resuming stablemate Kiss The Bride in the final race.
