It seems when the Spring Carnival dawns in Australia the powerful Baker family are always major players.

 

In two States last weekend the father-son trainers from across the ditch gave significant notice that they would be front and centre of the spring excitement.

 

While both Melbourne and Sydney are struck down by Covid lockdowns, some good news emanated firstly at Kembla Grange racecourse last Saturday when import Harpo Marx was successful in the main staying event on the program – the Premier’s Cup (2000m)

 

Forty-three-year-old Bjorn Baker, said that he was impressed by the stayer’s performance and would pursue a course directly aimed at one of Sydney’s most important staying races The Metropolitan.

 

“You couldn’t be happier with the win. There was a lot to like about it and every step the horse takes, it seems to get better,” the one-time pharmacist said.

 

“Probably we’ll know more with my Melbourne Cup hopeful She’s Ideel when she starts next Saturday at Randwick. She is very good and has a lovely staying attitude to distance races and she’s really exciting.”

 

She’s Ideel, who was placed in the group one Winx Stakes at her first start, could well be Bjorn Baker’s flagship horse this spring. Baker said that She’s Ideel had furnished into a stronger racehorse after her return to racing at Randwick in the Winx Stakes (1400m).

 

“She’s got a lovely attitude and we’re quietly confident she’ll be in the mix this spring,” he said.

 

Baker’s father, Murray, unveiled his spring ambitions at Caulfield in last Saturday’s Memsie Stakes (1400m). Starting at $15, Aegon finished powerfully to be fourth behind the South Australian pair, Behemoth and Beau Rossa.

 

Aegon is likely to tackle a similar field in a fortnight’s time, the Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington in his quest for spring riches. The four-year-old, co-trained by Andrew Forsman, has the A$7.5 million Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill on October 30 as the key target.

Baker junior said that he had “a few spring hopefuls” that could eventually find their way to Melbourne in the spring but was still adopting a wait and see policy with them.

 

“It’s only early spring and a lot of water has got to go under the bridge yet.”

 

Trainer Michael Moroney, who started six of his Spring Carnival hopefuls at Caulfield, was understandably chuffed by the performance of his group one mare Tofane who was third after being disappointed for a run at a critical stage in the Memsie.

 

It appears that she is going to be highly competitive in group one major mares’ races in the coming weeks.

 

He also maintains that the one-time English Derby favourite, English King, desperately needed his hit out at the HeatherlieHandicap.