Winter Carnival find Winning Rupert will miss the Spring Racing Carnival and be prepared for the $2m Magic Millions 3yo Guineas (1400m) at the Gold Coast on January next year.

Winning Rupert, above, will be aimed at the 2017 Magic Millions Carnival at the Gold Coast. Photo by Daniel Costello.

Winning Rupert was undefeated from two race starts in Queensland and after winning a 1000m two year old Plate at the Sunshine Coast on April 23, went on to win the Group 2 $175,000 Moet & Chandon Champagne Classic (1200m) at Doomben on May 14.

Warwick Farm trainer Bjorn Baker was thinking of campaigning Winning Rupert in Melbourne during the Spring Carnival with his Doomben 10,000 winner Music Magnate, but that plan had to be abandoned when both horses developed minor ailments.

Baker then pinpointed the 2017 Magic Millions Carnival as a likely target for Winning Rupert who has earned over $200,000 from his two wins.

“Music Magnate’s out and Winning Rupert’s had a minor setback as well, so we’ll look to the Magic Millions with him,” Baker told racing.com.

“So at this stage, I’ve got a few possibles and no definitives, which is unfortunate because Melbourne in the spring is where you want to be.”

Music Magnate wrapped up a successful Winter Carnival for Baker when he scored an upset win over Azkadellia in the Group 1 $750,000 James Boag’s Premium Doomben 10000 (1350m) at Doomben on May 28.

Baker had planned to take Music Magnate to Melbourne for the feature Spring sprints, but he had to forget that after the four year old developed a virus after running sixteenth to Under The Louvre in the Group 1 $1.5m AAMI Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 11.