Greg Polson Preview and top three bets for Bathurst

Greg Polson - Tuesday September 19

Bjorn Baker has dominated at Bathurst in recent seasons winning more than twice the number of races of his nearest rival it would be a fool-hardy punter that bets against the trainer on Tuesday.

Advertisement

Baker places his horses exceptionally well and knows what horses to take to Bathurst with the trainer winning 33 races at the track since January 2013 at a winning strike rate of 33 percent and importantly from a punting perspective investing on each of the Baker runners at the track during the period resulted in a small profit.

The domination of Baker is shown by the fact the trainer's 33 winners is more than the second and third trainers on the list, Scott Singleton and Peter W Stanley, who with 16 and 15 winners respectively still fall shy of Baker's total.

The figures tell us we can invest on Bjorn Baker-trained horses at Bathurst with confidence but his runners still must have the credentials to win and that is the case with our three best bets on Tuesday.

FOXY QUEEN (Race 1 No 4)

Three-year-old filly Foxy Queen looks set for a successful return to racing if her recent trial wins at Hawkesbury and Rosehill are any guide.

Foxy Queen hit the line strongly to win her latest trial at Rosehill finishing the race off in a manner that suggests the daughter of Foxwedge will take plenty of beating in a Bathurst maiden first-up.

Foxy Queen finished down the track in her only race start at Rosehill on February 22 but was always four-wide without cover in the run and the effort is best forgotten.

FREE WAY (Race 5 No 2)

Freeway showed plenty of promise in his first preparation finishing close-up in provincial races including a Kembla third at his first two career outings before giving his rivals a galloping lesson to win a Bathurst maiden at his only other start by over three-lengths.

A runner-up finish in a Randwick trial separating the winner Crafty Cop and the third placegetter Cocoexcel which won at Canterbury resuming on September 13 suggests Free Way has come back in good order and is set for a first-up win.

LIFELINE PRINCESS (Race 6 No 7)

Lifeline Princess will strip fitter second-up after finishing runner-up in a strong form race at Mudgee resuming on September 3.

The winner Oakwood Lady has since won again with the sixth hose going on to win at Wellington whilst two of the beaten brigade finished in the placings at their subsequent run.

Lifeline Princess finished runner-up at Bathurst over the track and distance before the break and has the credentials to go one better with the first-up run under her belt.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Wootton Bassett and Camelot 2YO Colts Win Final French Group Ones
The last French Group I races of their flat season were run on Sunday and Aidan O’Brien produced the winners of both the Group I Criterium International (1600m) and Group I Criterium de Saint Cloud (1800m).
Second Wootton Bassett Son Added to Coolmore Stallion Roster for 2026
Set to join Camille Pissarro as the second G1 winning son of Wootton Bassett on the stallion roster for Ireland in 2026 is Henri Matisse, who this time last year was about to claim his first G1 victory at the Breeders Cup meeting at Del Mar.
Cream Rises at Trentham
A half-sister by Hello Youmzain (Fr) to dual Group I winner Mustang Valley, exciting filly Cream Tart is set to line up in one of the major three-year-old races over New Zealand Cup Week following her impressive win in Sunday’s Upper Hutt Car Sales LTD Three-Year-Old (1400m) at Trentham.
Early Return Home for Cogburn
Group I winning Not This Time son Cogburn (USA) will return to WinStar Farm in Kentucky earlier than planned after disappointing fertility results during his first Australian covering season at Widden Stud.
A Century of NZB National Yearling Sales Success: Cox Plate
Moonee Valley’s A$6m Group One WS Cox Plate (2040m) is known as the weight-for-age championship of Australasia and has been won by many of Australia and New Zealand’s greatest thoroughbreds.
From FNQ To Sha Tin - Aussie Bred Sprinter Wins G2 Premier Bowl
Some horses arrive in Hong Kong with a very different back story - Fresh from winning the $20million The Everest with Ka Ying Rising, David Hayes was back in the winner’s list at Sha Tin on Sunday when Tomodachi Kokoroe won the Group II Premier Bowl (1200m).
Yes Yes Yes 3YO Shooting for G2 on Monday
Last year’s Gr.2 James and Annie Sarten Memorial (1400m) set Savaglee up for Group One glory in Christchurch, and Matamata trainer Pam Gerard is hoping to follow a similar blueprint in 2025 with her Yes Yes Yes 3YO Affirmative Action..
Sale Cup Winner Adds to Fastnet Rock Super Weekend
It’s been quite the weekend for the late great champion sire Fastnet Rock with a Cox Plate quinella on Saturday and then on Sunday he produced a new stakes-winner when seven year-old gelding El Rocko captured the $200,000 Listed Sale Cup (1600m).
Hi Yo Sass Bomb Wins G3 on Sunday
Kim Reid bypassed a Group One in favour of Sunday’s Gr.3 Gee and Hickton Funeral Directors Thompson Handicap (1600m) at Trentham with Hi Yo Sass Bomb, a decision that paid dividends when the mare led from the outset to claim her third stakes success.
Sires With Winners - Saturday October 25
Here is the full list of 136 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.