Baker says scans on Caulfield Cup contender Bonneval are all clear

Ben Dorries - Thursday October 19

Murray Baker says scans on Bonneval, ordered by stewards, have come back all clear and Kerrin McEvoy also expects the Kiwi mare will take her spot in the Caulfield Cup.

Advertisement
Kiwi trainer Murray Baker says Bonneval scans have come back all clear Photo: Darryl Sherer

"Apparently she was as good as gold (in the scans) and there were no abnormalities," Baker said, after McEvoy had worked Bonneval again at Flemington on Thursday morning.

"I am a little bit surprised as to all the attention as if she was sore we wouldn't persevere with her.

"When you pull a horse straight out of the box and its been standing there for seven hours, obviously it's stiff for a start. That's why they have warm ups for."

Baker is convinced the mare, the drifting $8.50 third favourite in latest markets, is fine to run in the Caulfield Cup despite suffering cuts to her offside hind leg and being found to be lame in her near side leg after Saturday's Group I Caulfield Stakes.

However she will still have to pass an RV vet inspection later on Thursday before being given the green light to line up in the Caulfield Cup.

Bonneval and Baker's other Caulfield Cup contender Jon Snow both worked on the dirt over 1400m at Flemington on Thursday morning.

McEvoy said Bonneval was sound in her action and is expecting her to run well on Saturday.

"She seems free as a bell in my opinion and was happy coming off the track," McEvoy said.

"I've been happy with her, I had a canter on her yesterday and then this morning I just did some nice striding work.

"I'd be surprised if she is not right to take her spot in the field."

McEvoy was asked whether RV vets had taken into consideration his opinion when assessing Bonneval.

"I'm not too sure, I haven't been asked," he said.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Saturday July 5
Here is the full list of 112 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Kiwi Bred Good Banter Finds Winning Form
Four-year-old mare Good Banter was back in the winner’s circle when narrowly prevailing in the Catanach's Jewellers Handicap (2000m) at Rosehill on Saturday for trainers John O’Shea and Tom Charlton.
Sweet Redemption for Stable Favourite Jimmy the Bear
Patrick and Michelle Payne enjoyed a red letter day at Flemington on Saturday with their rising star Buccleuch winning the Listed VRC Taj Rossi Series Final and then later in the day stable favourite Jimmy the Bear won the Listed VRC Winter Championship Series Final (1600m).
Flemington Victory for Tarzino Mare
Quirky but talented mare Miss Tarzy has come from last win the Leilani Series Final (1400m) under a patient Jett Stanley ride.
Invincible 3YO Wins G3 Winx Guineas
The $300,000 Group III Winx Guineas (1600m) at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday featured a big field of 16 up and comers and following the late scratching of favourite Mister Bianco, Angela Jones took luck out of the equation on I Am Invincible gelding The Three Hundred.
New Juvenile Stakes-Winner Wootton Bassett
A two year-old Wootton Bassett  colt bred to stay, Daytona made it two wins as many starts when scoring a dominant win in the Listed Pat Smullen Stakes (1m) at Naas in Ireland overnight.
Divine Prophet’s Fortunate Kiss Captures Elusive Black Type Win
With nine top five finishes in previous black type races, it was better late than never as 6yo Divine Prophet mare Fortunate Kiss charged along the inside to win the $300,000 Listed Glasshouse Handicap (1400m) at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday – her first black type victory.
Pride’s Outsider Estadio Mestalla Wins Winter Stakes
The lone stakes race on Rosehill’s ten-race card on Saturday saw Joe Pride’s race outsider Estadio Mestalla (Galileo Gold) take out the $200,000 Listed ATC Winter Stakes (1400m) in a boilover.
Dubawi Colt from $US8million Mare Wins G1 Coral Eclipse for Coolmore
Blueblood Dubawi colt Delacroix was a beaten favourite in the Group I Epsom Derby when unplaced behind his stablemate Lambourn, but he found his time to shine overnight when scoring a miraculous last to first win in the Group I Coral Eclipse Stakes (1m2f) at Sandown.
Snitzel Filly Bridal Waltz Wins A.R. Creswick Stakes
While many felt the winner of Saturday’s Listed $175,000 VRC A.R. Creswick Stakes (1200m) had raced two weeks prior in the Shop Flemington Handicap (1100m) – and they would’ve been correct – but it was not the result many punters felt it would be!