Derby Entries for Baker - Forsman

Media Release - Thursday October 7

Cambridge trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman have set their sights on another Derby triumph in Australia.

In the past 11 years, the stable has had success in seven trans-Tasman Derbys, including the 2010 Gr.1 Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington with Lion Tamer.

Mongolian Khan is the sire of Samarkand.

Baker and Forsman this week entered both Samarkand (Mongolian Khan) and Daario (Real Impact (Jpn) for this year's race on October 30, with Mongolian Khan gelding Samarkand flying to Melbourne on Tuesday.

"It's a long throw at the stumps, right from the boundary," Baker said of his Derby bid.

"It's just a nomination for them both. Daario is still a maiden but it looks like he'll stay. We'll find a 2000m maiden for him next week and see how he goes from there.

"We sent over Samarkand last night. We haven't yet committed to a programme but he's out of a three-quarter sister to Efficient and we think he can stay all right."

Samarkand has had five starts, running fourth in the Listed Champagne Stakes (1600m) and fifth in the Listed Auckland Futurity (1400m), both at Ellerslie last season, before flanking a 7 1/4-length 1600m maiden win at Tauranga with second placings at his three starts so far as a three-year-old.

TAB bookmakers have Samarkand as a $34 shot for the Derby, with Real Impact gelding Daario at $51.

The odds will be shorter for The Chosen One when he tackles Saturday's Gr.2 Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) under the 59kg topweight for rider Damian Lane at Caulfield.

"We're happy with him. He's got to carry 59 kilos which won't be easy over 2400m but he won this race two years ago, albeit with less weight," Baker said.

"We had to win it to get into the Caulfield Cup two years ago but he's qualified for the Cups this year so we don't have to worry about that."

Baker said The Chosen One was likely to back up in the A$5 million Gr.1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) seven days later and then progress to the A$8 million Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 2.

"It's hard to compare because I'm not there. It's made it harder this time around, not being able to be over there," Baker said.

Baker hasn't yet ruled Quick Thinker out of the Cups in Melbourne yet either with the prospect of a wet October making travelling south an attractive option.

"We were disappointed with his run in the Metropolitan, he just never really got going. That track wasn't wet enough for him. He needs it a lot wetter,” he said.

Advertisement

"He's still in the Cups but we'll just tread water at the moment. There's the (ATC) St Leger in Sydney but it appears Melbourne is meant to get the rain. It's forecast to be quite a wet October so we've always got an option to float him down there."

The Chosen One is at $21 for the Caulfield Cup, a race he ran third in last year, with TAB bookmakers and the same price for the Melbourne Cup, while Quick Thinker is at $101 for both.

Closer to home, last start Gr.3 Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) runner-up Mustang Valley will contest the Comag 1400 at Matamata on Saturday in preference to the Gr.3 Wyndspelle @ Grangewilliam Stud Taranaki Breeders' Stakes (1400m) at Hawera, for which she had also been nominated.

"We're happy with her. It will be a good test for her," Baker said.

"It's a pretty good field. It all depends how she goes, but we hope to make it to Christchurch with her. There's still a lot of water to go under the bridge yet."

Baker said safely through Saturday's race Mustang Valley would contest the Gr.3 Soliloquy Stakes (1600m) at Matamata on October 23 as a lead-up to the Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton on November 13.

Francesca was ruled out of last week's Gr.3 Metric Mile (1600m) at Awapuni with a niggling injury to a hind leg and Baker said while she was over that now, there hadn't been sufficient time for her to prepare for the Taranaki Breeders' Stakes.

"We haven't got her next race mapped out yet but she seems right again," Baker said.

Baker and Forsman will go into the Listed Team Wealleans Matamata Cup (1600m) with both Group One performer Frontman and Spring Delight.

"We're happy with the work of them both so they'll take their chance," Baker said.

"Frontman showed a fair bit last year. We're hoping for a good run from him. He'll have a little bit of cut out of the track for him on Saturday which he likes and we'll make a judgment on what he does after that.

"Spring Delight is training well. It's a black-print race so we're hoping for a good result. We're hoping she can run well."

Baker and Forsman's other runners at Matamata are Dollarbee, Ironic, Long Game, Hot Pinx and Dance 'N' Sing.

"Hot Pinx will be a big chance with a bit of cut in the track," Baker said. - NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Wednesday October 29
Here is the full list of 44 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Aussie Bred Sprinter to Run in G1 Breeders Cup Turf Sprint This Weekend
Australian spring racing might appear to be the centre of the universe in our neck of the woods, but in the Northern Hemisphere this weekend it is all about the Breeders’ Cup meeting at Del Mar in California and an Aussie bred sprinter could be poised to spring an upset.
Yulong Purchase into Star Kiwi Trained Filly
Yulong has purchased a 50 percent share in outstanding prospect Well Written with welcome news that she will remain in the care of Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh for the rest of her racing career.
MRC locks in leadership as Tanya Fullarton named CEO and Jonathan Munz joins as Vice Chairman
The Melbourne Racing Club (MRC) has confirmed two major leadership appointments, naming Tanya Fullarton as Chief Executive Officer and leading business person, owner, and breeder Jonathan Munz as Vice Chairman.
Henry Dwyer Secures Top Lot on Day 4 Tattersalls Autumn HIT Sale
Promising Wootton Bassett two-year-old SKIATHOS topped the fourth day of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale at 150,000 guineas with robust trade resulting in a clearance rate of 90% for the session. Turnover for the sale exceeded 33,000,000 guineas for only the fourth time in its history with a fifth and final session still to come on Friday, followed immediately by the Tattersalls Aut
One To Watch – Wyong
With her half-brother Private Eye set to line up in Saturday's $3m ATC Russell Balding Stakes (1300m) at Randwick, 3yo Shalaa (IRE) filly Confidentiality broke her maiden on Thursday at Wyong at just her second start for trainer Joe Pride.
Vin Cox to Join Forces with Star Thoroughbreds
Leading Australian syndicator Star Thoroughbreds has announced it will be partnering with Vin Cox for the 2026 yearling sales season.
2025 Victoria Derby Pedigree Preview - Who is Bred to Stay?
The Group I VRC Victoria Derby at Flemington on Saturday is worth a whopping $2 million and the testing trip of 2500m means a lot of horses are not going to see it out strongly and this looks a competitive year with no G1 winners engaged and a full field of up and comers set to do battle, so let’s see what the pedigrees have to say.
Breeding To Win - 2025 $10m Golden Eagle
Racing fans and punters love a good debate, but if there's one thing they tend to unite on, it's the view that the retirement of talented young horses from the racetrack to the stud happens far too early for their liking!
Promising Winner for Peltzer
Michael Freedman trained his first winner for Champion Thoroughbreds on Thursday at Wyong and promising Peltzer gelding Sir Loyne won in a manner to suggest there is much more to come.