Murray Baker believes that Show The World will be outpaced 2014 Randwick Guineas this Saturday, but the leading New Zealand trainer is hopeful that the promising stayer will be running on strongly when he makes his Australian racing debut in the Group 1 event.
Murray Baker won the 2013 Randwick Guineas with It's A Dundeel and has both Show The World and Atlante in the field for this year's race. Photo by: Steve Hart
Show The World has performed well in his three career starts to date and produced his best performances over 2100 metres; finishing second in the Listed Championship Guineas Prelude (2100m) at Ellerslie on December 15 before winning the Group 2 Championship Stakes (2100m) at the same venue on New Year’s Day.
Baker has a high opinion of Show The World and thinks that he is a leading chance for the Group 1 Australian Derby (2400m) at Royal Randwick on April 12, but told Racing Ahead that the son of High Chaparral may struggle to keep up with the rest of the field in the Randwick Guineas this weekend.
“I am very happy with him, but he is a dead set stayer and he might get a bit outpaced tomorrow,” Baker said.
“He will get back a bit; in New Zealand he got right back and this is a better class race, so they might leave him behind to start.
“Hopefully he will be running on well.”
Baker’s leading chance in the Randwick Guineas is Atlante, who made his Australian racing debut with an impressive second behind Dissident in the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 1 – even though he clearly failed to handle the slow ground.
The Royal Randwick track is currently rated in the slow range but, with no rain expected in the next 24 hours, Baker is hoping that the surface will firm up nicely and give Atlante every possible chance in the Group 1 event tomorrow.
“We are very happy with him,” Baker said.
“He is right on top on his game and he is a tough horse.
“He puts in and if he gets a good track tomorrow, he will run well.
“It is not very often that you get New Zealand horses that need it rock hard, I know it won’t be rock hard, but that is what he performs best on.”
Baker is chasing his second straight win in the Randwick Guineas after taking out the 2013 edition of the race with It’s A Dundeel.
