Some race day eve jumping will have Bjorn Baker’s stayers Father’s Day and Baby Rider ready to produce their best in respective Cup assignments at Rosehill on Saturday.
Trainer Bjorn Baker (Pic: Bradley Photos).
It’s a weapon the Warwick Farm trainer has used with great effect, particularly with older stayers, to gain an edge and Baker hopes hopping over a few jumps on Friday will be key to Father’s Day breaking through in the James Squire Stayers Cup (2400m).
After a gallant last start second over the same trip, the market is expecting Father’s Day to be a major player while Baker says Baby Rider shouldn’t be overlooked in the Listed $200,000 Toyota Forklifts WJ McKell Cup (2000m).
“He’ll jump on Friday, he tends to enjoy that so we’ll keep him active,’’ Baker said.
“It can definitely help with some of them and we have had some good luck with that this season.”
Father’s Day, $3.10 with TAB on Thursday, was third-up when he was run down over 2400m at Kensington on June 12 but Baker said it was a good platform to peak with a weight drop of 8.5kg in his favour.
The Listed Grafton Cup next month could be on the radar if the gelding repeats his performance from last campaign where he won impressively at his second 2400m start for the preparation.
“If you take a guide through that he’s spot on for this run,’’ he said.
“He’s in really good order and I thought his run last time was good. I thought he was a touch vulnerable third up at 2400m with the big weight but he gets weight relief on Saturday.
“He’s been up and down but he’s going very well at the moment and his work on Tuesday was good.”
Baker said he’ll be using Father’s Day’s featherweight of 52kg, after Bailey Wheeler’s claim, to as much advantage as possible with some bold front-running tactics.
“We’ll definitely be positive and try and lead,’’ he said.
“He likes to roll along at a good speed, he’s got a high cruising speed and that’s his asset so that’s what we will try and do.”
Baby Rider hasn’t been a factor in his two runs from a break but he did win the ATC Cup back in December over 2000m and placed in the Group 3 Summer Cup so Baker is hoping he can return to that sort of level.
“He’s just taken a little bit to get fit, he’s down on the minimum with Zac Lloyd on and he likes to control,’’ Baker said.
“We’ll definitely lead with him and on his day he’s a pretty handy horse. Off his work on Tuesday he’s definitely back to his form.”
– Racing NSW
