Boom Kiwi set for Hobartville Stakes at Rosehill

Training genius Murray Baker conceded he is surprised boom three-year-old Aegon has come up as favourite for his attempt to overcome a hoodoo on Kiwi three-year-olds in the Group 2 $400,000 Hobartville Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens.

Aegon, unbeaten in four New Zealand starts including the 2000 Guineas and Karaka Millions, is the $3.90 favourite against one of the strongest Hobartville fields for some years.

But even Baker is unsure how Aegon will measure up against some of the best local three-year-olds in training.

“Aegon is a pretty good young horse but he has to make the step up,’’ Baker told The Daily Telegraph from his Cambridge stable base. “It’s a bit harder in Australia than it is at home. This race is a bit of a learning curve but I hope he is up to it.’’

Master Kiwi trainer Murray Baker has had a lot of success in Australia. Picture: AAPSource:AAP

Baker is acknowledged as a master trainer and has won five ATC Australian Derbys with Quick Thinker (2000), Jon Snow (2017), Mongolian Khan (2015), Dundeel (2013) and Nom De Jeu (2008) but he has never prepared a Hobartville Stakes winner.

In fact, since the Hobartville Stakes was switched from spring to autumn in 1979, no New Zealand-trained three-year-old has won the race. The last Kiwi galloper to win the Hobartville was the Merv Ritchie-trained Lord Silver Man in 1977.

However, Baker and his co-trainer Andrew Forsman have a big opinion of Aegon as they have entered the son of dual Doncaster Mile winner Sacred Falls in most major races during the Sydney autumn carnival.

“We are not sure what Aegon’s best trip is yet, possibly, he might be a miler but we will know more in the next few weeks,’’ Baker said. “He’s is out of a Zabeel mare so he has that bit of toughness about him.

“The Hobartville does look a nice race and we will get a good line on how he goes against the Aussie three-year-olds.’’

Aegon, who will be ridden by champion jockey Hugh Bowman, is coming back slightly in distance to 1400m for the Hobartville after winning his last two starts over 1600m.

Champion jockey Hugh Bowman will ride the unbeaten Aegon in the Hobartville Stakes. Picture: Getty ImagesSource:Getty Images

“The shorter trip is an issue but we have to make a start in Sydney with Aegon,’’ Baker said. “He comes from off speed but he always runs to the line strongly. He won well enough last start at Ellerslie in the Karaka Millions against a very good filly in Amarelinha.

“It was his first race in a couple of months as we gave him a break after he won at Christchurch (2000 Guineas). He has improvement to come but he’s a horse that doesn’t need a lot to get right.’’

Baker has been a dominant force in Sydney autumn carnivals in the last decade or so but admitted with the coronavirus protocols it is unlikely he will travel across the Tasman this year.

“We have to do two weeks quarantine when we come back into New Zealand so that makes it very hard,’’ he said. “When we were sending Aegon and the other horses to Sydney earlier in the week, we had one of our staff ready to travel over with the three horses but she was stopped at the airport.

“There has been a COVID scare in New Zealand so now she can’t go over at all now.

“Thankfully, my son, Bjorn has his stables at Warwick Farm and he can hold the fort for us until we can get some staff over there.’’

Aegon and his older stablemates The Chosen One and Quick Thinker arrived in Sydney last Monday and Baker said from all reports the trio have settled in well at Warwick Farm.

Australian Derby winner Quick Thinker starts his autumn campaign at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday. Picture: AAPSource:AAP

“It helped Aegon having those two horses with him,’’ Baker said. “The Chosen One and Quick Thinker have been there before so it is no issue for them and they are heading to the Sydney Cup.’’

Baker confirmed Quick Thinker will resume in the NSW Jockeys Association Handicap (1400m) at the Rosehill meeting. Jason Collett has been booked to ride Quick Thinker who has been allotted 62kg on the 52kg limit.

Quick Thinker, winner of the Tulloch Stakes-ATC Australian Derby double last year, wasn’t himself in two Melbourne starts last spring so Baker decided against continuing with his preparation.

“When he wasn’t quite firing in the spring we decided to get him back home and set him for Sydney in the autumn,’’ Baker said.

“He’s in the open 1400m on Saturday. He has got a bit of weight but we have to get him going, too. He’s a bit of an anomaly, this horse, but he seems to like Sydney and soft tracks.’’

The Chosen One, who ran third in Verry Elleegant’s Caulfield Cup then fourth in the Melbourne Cup won by Twilight Payment last year, made his return at Te Rapa last weekend and ran second in a Group 1 weight-for-age 2000m race.

“I thought it was a top run from The Chosen One, he was first-up from the Melbourne Cup and I’m hoping he’s in for a good autumn,’’ Baker said.

Originally published asAegon equipped to snare elusive prize for Kiwi legend

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