Bakers Look To 3YOs For Group One Double
- Friday, 11 February 2011 04:15
Bjorn and Murray Baker are looking to two three-year-olds to give themselves a chance of a Group One double at Te Rapa on Saturday.
Exciting filly We Can Say It Now resumes after a 10-week break in the Waikato Sprint (1400m), while New Zealand Derby contender Arakti will take on the older horses at weight-for-age for a second time this year in the Darci Brahma International (2000m).
We Can Say It Now established herself as New Zealand racing's newest star when winning the Levin Classic and Captain Cook Stakes back-to-back in late November and early December.
The Starcraft filly hasn't raced since routing her rivals by four lengths in the Captain Cook Stakes at weight-for-age on December 4 but her Cambridge co-trainer Bjorn Baker said she was ready for a top run.
"She had a short break after Trentham and we freshened her up a little, and we're extremely happy with how she is," Baker, who trains in partnership with his father Murray, said.
"Barrier eight is very good for her and though 1400 metres is not going to be her ultimate best distance, she's won at the trip on the track before."
Up against her is probably the hottest field of the year.
Her opponents include Wall Street, a triple Group One winner in the spring, Telegraph Handicap winner Mufhasa, top mares Katie Lee and Keep The Peace and the speedy Coup Align.
"It's a step up in class again but we could not be happier with her," Baker said.
The Baker stable has not shown any reluctance to take on top company with We Can Say It Now and all going well her next start after the Waikato Sprint will be the Australian Guineas (1600m) on March 5.
"Taking on the colts and geldings in Australia is a step up again but we think it's worth it," Baker said.
We Can Say It Now was $3.20 favourite with TAB bookmakers, just ahead of Wall Street ($4).
Arakti first took on weight-for-age company when running a fighting third to Veloce Bella, one of his opponents again on Saturday, in the Trentham Stakes (2400m) on January 22.
He then won a 2000m race at Ellerslie on January 30, accelerating smoothly against weaker opposition to win by 2-3/4 lengths.
"He's probably come on even more since then but it's a huge ask in this company," Baker said.
Also lining up for the Bakers in the Darci Brahma is English import Doctor Fremantle, who is having his second start for the stable.
The Sadler's Wells six-year-old was a dual Group Three winner in England and fourth in the Epsom Derby but did little for Australian trainer Lee Freedman when bought by an Australian syndicate and was transferred to the Bakers in December.
