Wide barrier not a worry for Luna Rossa in the Telegraph

Cambridge trainer Murray Baker doesn’t expect a wide barrier will affect the chances of Luna Rossa when she resumes in the  Group 1 NZ$250,000 JR & N Berkett Telegraph (1200m) at Trentham in New Zealand on Saturday.

Luna Rossa will take on Odyssey Moon, above, in the Telegraph at Trentham. Photo by Steve Hart.

Luna Rossa will take on Odyssey Moon, above, in the Telegraph at Trentham. Photo by Steve Hart.

Baker, who trains in partnership with Andrew Forsman, believes that Luna Rossa is still one of the main chances even though she has drawn barrier sixteen in the original draw of eighteen plus three emergencies but will jump from thirteen if all three reserves fail to gain a start.

“We have drawn wide, Luna Rossa, I think she is sixteen,” Murray told RSN’s Racing Ahead.

“But down the straight, it is a dog leg at Trentham, it is not as straight at Flemington of course, the barrier draws don’t seem to matter as much and they seem to win that race from anywhere.”

Murray considers the Victorian sprinter Odyssey Moon as one of the main dangers in the Telegraph and the Robert Smerdon trained four year old has drawn wide as well at nineteen in the original draw with Melbourne jockey Noel Callow to ride.

“He has been staying at out stables, Odyssey Moon and he looks ready to go,” Murray said.

“He will certainly be hard to beat. Unfortunately he has drawn nineteen but gets in a bit with ballots.”

Murray admitted that Luna Rossa wasn’t in the original entries for the Telegraph but after the Written Tycoon filly won a barrier trial, the stable decided to put in a late nomination slip.

“She wasn’t nominated but she won a trial well and she is fresh and she seemed to run well fresh so we decided to pay the late nomination and have a crack.”

“We are very happy with her at this stage. She is going pretty well.”

“She had won on the track at the distance as a two year old.”

Luna Rossa campaigned in Melbourne during the 2016 Spring Carnival as La Luna Rossa and was placed once from three starts and a return to Australia for the Autumn Carnival is on the cards if she performs well in the Telegraph.

At her first Australian start Luna Rossa finished second to Legless Veuve in the Group 2 $200,000 Schweppes Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m) at Caulfield but was then a well beaten eighth to Global Glamour in the Group 1 $500,000 Schweppes Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield on October 8.

Luna Rossa was given one more run for a sixth to Nurse Kitchen in the Group 2 $200,000 P.W. Glass Fillies Classic (1600m) at Moonee Valley on October 22.

The market order for the Telegraph at Ladbrokes.com.au has Luna Rossa marked alongside of Odyssey Moon at $8.50 behind Perfect Fit at $3.80, Start Wondering at $4.50 and First Serve at $6.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.