Murray Baker has previously won the Underwood Stakes on two occasions and his co-trainer Andrew Forsman believes that Mongolian Khan is capable of delivering the stable another victory in the Group 1 event this weekend.
Mongolian Khan has the chance to return to winning form in the 2015 Underwood Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday. Photo by: Steve Hart
Baker won the Underwood Stakes for the first time with Lion Tamer in 2011 – a horse that was in a similar mould to Mongolian Khan – and he triumphed in the race again in 2013 when It’s A Dundeel upstaged glamour mare Atlantic Jewel.
Mongolian Khan returned to the races with a credible seventh place finish behind Fawkner in the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on September 12 and Forsman told Sky Racing HQ that the Holy Roman Emperor entire has taken plenty of benefit from the run ahead of the 2015 Underwood Stakes on Saturday.
“It was really good,” Baker said.
“We thought that we would finish midfield and that is where he was, but to be so close in a sprint home was really exciting.
“All the reports are really positive.
“For a horse that isn’t a great track worker – he only really does what he has to – his work has been really good and he has improved a lot.
“He has come good in the coat and I know that the team over there are really happy with him.
“I know that Murray has won this race with a couple of stayers before and hopefully he can do the job.
“Touch wood everything goes smoothly in the next few weeks.”
Mongolian Khan made his racing debut with a win at Te Rapa in September of last year and he went on to stamp himself as one of the most exciting stayers in Australasia.
He claimed his maiden black type win in the Listed Guineas Prelude (2100m) at Ellerslie on December 14 and he went on to take out the Group 2 Waikato Guineas (2000m) at Tea Rapa on January 31 and the Group 2 Avondale Guineas (2100m) at Ellerslie on February 14 before he outstayed Volkstok’n’barrell to win the Group 1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie on February 28.
Mongolian Khan made his Australian racing debut with a flat effort in the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas (1600m) on March 21, but he returned to winning form when he took out the Group 1 Australian Derby (2400m) at Royal Randwick on April 6.
Mongolian Khan is currently available at 2015 Underwood Stakes odds of $11 with Ladbrokes and he is on the fourth line of betting behind Fawkner ($3.30), Contributer ($4.50) and The Cleaner ($7).
