Robusto looked to angle for a run in the listed Winter Stakes at Rosehill last start but was kept in a pocket by Accredited. He then had to squeeze through runners further up the straight and did well to get so close (1.5 lengths) to leader Estadio Mastella, a rival he meets three kilos worse at the weights on Saturday.
Baker also saddles up Thunderlips, which was one of the favourites when fourth in the Winter Stakes, and entitled to perform better based on his price.
“We want to be a bit more positive on Saturday and put him in the race,” Baker said.
“We’re just mindful he’s had an extra run or two, and he has to come to the end of it at some stage.
“This race is very similar to [the Winter Stakes]. There’s no doubt Joe’s horses [Estadio Mastella and Accredited] will be hard to beat, and he’s had a mortgage on these types of race the past month. But we’ll see what happens.”
JoJo Was A Man saluted at $31 for John Thompson last year to hold out Team Hawkes’ fast-finishing More Secrets in the Winter Challenge, Zac Lloyd did an excellent job to get Barbie’s Fox home in 2023, while Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott’s Cross Talk led all the way as favourite in 2022.
Baker also has Disneck resuming in the Schweppes Sprint, which is an outside chance if they go hard early, according to the trainer. He is also impressed with War Eternal and Highlights, two ageing warriors resuming in the last race.
“They’re both a hope at big odds, and both more forward than they have been previously,” Baker said.
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War Eternal stuck to his guns in a recent trial, while Highlights barely broke sweat to gap his rivals in a Hawkesbury tune-up.
Baker has enjoyed another wonderful season in Sydney and is already gearing up for a bumper spring, but remains unsure which horses might be picked up for The Everest. Overpass has been an ultra-reliable sprinter, while even a forgotten horse such as O’ Ole, the Magic Millions winner, could turn heads if she resumes from a lengthy layoff in style.
Baker said Stefi Magnetica, which contested last year’s $20 million Randwick feature, was already pencilled in for the King Charles III Stakes on the same day.
