Waterhouse Delighted With The Baronet Ahead Of The Wallabies Cup

Trainer Gai Waterhouse is delighted with the condition of The Baronet and is confident that the imported stayer can return to winning form in The Wallabies Cup (1800) at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Tye Angland has been booked to ride The Baronet In The Wallabies Cup at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Tye Angland has been booked to ride The Baronet In The Wallabies Cup at Royal Randwick on Saturday. Photo by: Daniel Costello

The Baronet returned to racing in a benchmark handicap at Kembla Grange on July 15 and was narrowly denied a second race win in Australia after being forced wide coming around the final turn.

The Sir Percy gelding has impressed Waterhouse with his trackwork since his first-up run at Kembla Grange, with the leading Sydney trainer questioning the trackwork times set by stable jockey Tommy Berry, and she is certain that the five-year-old will win The Wallabies Cup this weekend.

Rob (Waterhouse) found him on form and Adrian Bott went over and purchased him last year at the sale there,” Waterhouse told Sky Racing HQ.

“He will win that race there on Saturday.

“I messaged Mark (Newnham) this morning to say that I didn’t know what Tommy was doing in his trackwork gallop the other day because the times were over the place.

“They have to have their anaerobic level there, but I couldn’t be happier with the way this horse is training.

“No matter who rides him, Tye Angland is riding for the stable on Saturday, he will give them a great show.”

The Baronet made his racing debut in the United Kingdom under the care of Sir Mark Prescott in 2012 and he recorded his maiden race win in a maiden at Nottingham.

He was narrowly denied back-to-back wins in a 2212 metre race at Kempton Park before he was spotted by Robbie Waterhouse after he took out the Royal Regiment Of Scotland Handicap (2615m) at Musselburgh.

The Baronet had a lengthy stint in Australia and was gelded before making his Australian racing debut in the Royal Randwick Handicap (1200m) on New Year’s Day this year and he produced an improved performance when a close third behind Forever Crazy at the same venue on January 22.

The five-year-old scored his maiden race win in Australia with a narrow victory over Transonic at Canterbury on February 5 and was sent to the spelling paddock after being run down in the final stages of a benchmark 75 event at Warwick Farm on February 19.

The Baronet is currently on the third line of 2014 The Wallabies Cup betting markets at a quote of $7.50; with Saintly Lad ($3.60) currently a narrow favourite from Tarangower ($3.70).

About The Author

Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.