Classic aspirations on the line for Weather With You

Darryl Sherer - Tuesday September 26

Champion New Zealand trainer Murray Baker has already won the Victoria Derby and is optimistic Weather With You can win a start in this year's classic with victory in Wednesday's Victoria Derby Trial (1800m) at Flemington.

Advertisement
Weather With You. Photo: Darryl Sherer

Baker won the 2011 Victoria Derby with Lion Tamer and prepared the 2008 winner Kibbutz before the gelding was sold to clients of David Hayes.

Weather With You finished runner-up over 1400m on his first Australian start at Sandown on September 6 and will earn ballot exemption for the Victoria Derby if successful.

Like Australian Cup winner Humidor, Weather With You is by Teofilo and Baker, who prepares the gelding in partnership with Andrew Forsman, is confident of a forward showing.

"The race at Sandown was probably a bit short for him but he stuck on all right and he's done well since," Baker said.

"Under the circumstances I thought his run there was good and he will certainly be better suited stepping up to 1800 metres on a nice big track like Flemington.

"He ran second in the Champagne Stakes over 1600 metres at Ellerslie his last start as a two-year-old and that's when we thought he might be a Derby type of horse."

Weather With You cost $27,000 as a yearling and races in the colours of Lindsay De Souza for whom Baker trained Turn Me Loose to win at Group I level in Australia and New Zealand.

Wednesday's race will be the furthest Weather For You has tackled in four starts to date and Baker said he is expecting the increase in distance to suit.

"He's always shown us he'll make a stayer and we'll find out more tomorrow," Baker.

"Of course he has to prove he's good enough but he's a staying horse who should come into his own the further he goes."

Luke Nolen will be aboard Weather With You, available at $7 with several wagering operators, in the Victoria Derby Trial.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Te Akau Win G3 War Decree Stakes with Snitzel Filly
Te Akau Racing made a blistering start to the afternoon across both New Zealand meetings on Saturday, racking up six wins in a three-hour period including with a pair of potential candidates for next month’s Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m).
Stefi Magnetica Smashes Through $7m Mark
Already a dual Group1 winner, Bjorn Baker’s 5yo All Too Hard mare Stefi Magnetica added the $2m Group 2 ATC The Invitational (1400m) to her impressive record, with her earnings smashing through the $7m mark for her ownership group headed by the Cunningham family.
Sires With Winners - Friday October 24
Here is the full list of 60 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
G2 McEwen Stakes To Jigsaw - Fifth Black Type Victory
A previous Group 2 winner at Moonee Valley a few years back, Jigsaw’s connections would’ve headed into Saturday’s Group 2 MVRC McEwen Stakes (1200m) with a level of confidence despite tackling last start Group 1 MVRC Manikato Stakes winner Charm Stone.
Von Hauke Wins G2 Crystal Mile - Half-Brother NZB Ready to Run
The Cliff Brown-trained Von Hauke swamped his rivals late under a patient rider from Ethan Brown to land the Gr.2 Crystal Mile (1600m) at The Valley on Saturday.
VRC Derby Favourite Strengthens His Chances With G2 Vase Win
When breaking his maiden by five lengths at just his second start last season, Ghaiyyath's colt Observer looked to have above average ability, but it was his third last start in the Group 1 MRC Caulfield Guineas (1600m) that had everybody talking about the exciting prospect.
First Winner for Home Affairs
Exciting young sire Home Affairs opened his account with his first winner in New Zealand on Saturday with a dominant debut victory for race favourite Harvey Wallbanger at Ellerslie.
2025 Cox Plate Result - Fastnet Rock and Waller Quinella
A genuine champion sire should be able to produce the horses that win the very best races in the country in which they stand and the late great Fastnet Rock have us a demonstration of that when his high class Northern Hemisphere bred offspring Via Sistina (IRE) and Buckaroo (GB) fought out an epic finish to the $6million Group I MVRC WS Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
Blueblood Lonhro Colt Wins G1 Spring Champion
At the start of August we ran a story about the 3YO’s that were entered for this year Cox Plate and aside from the usual suspects there were some ‘Cox Plate dreamers’ and one of them was unraced Lonhro colt Attica, who capped his meteoric rise to fame with a thrilling victory in the $2million Group I ATC Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Invincible Colt Wins $1million G2 Callander Presnell for Godolphin
Progressive I Am Invincible colt Ohope won the $1million ATC Tapp Craig (1400m) at his previous start, however was not rewarded officially with Black Type for that result, but he did achieve stakes-winner status at Randwick on Saturday when scoring a determined win over quality colt Rivellino in the $1million ATC Callander Presnell (1600m).