Murray Baker couldn't be happier with the performances of Zacada and Jon Snow at Monday's Te Teko trials, but has put a public hit-out for stable star Bonneval on hold until next week.
Bonneval's
countdown to another Australian campaign was planned to commence with a trial
at Avondale on Tuesday, and the multiple Group One winner was on track for the
appearance, until the wet weather upset the apple-cart.
"We've decided to wait and run her in one of those open trials before the first race at Taupo next week," Baker, who trains in partnership with Andrew Forsman, said.
"With a heavy11 track to start with at Avondale and that's without any more rain, we wouldn't have got a real line on her.
"She's coming along well and has been working with Jon Snow and he trialled well at Te Teko."
Bonneval has been off the scene since last February and provided she acquits herself well in next Wednesday's Taupo trial she will continue along a path aimed at major weight-for-age events in Melbourne.
Jon Snow and Zacada are also being prepared for the Melbourne Spring Carnival with the Gr.1 A$7.3 million Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 6 on the horizon and both shaped very well at Monday's trials.
Jon Snow, ridden by Matt Cameron, led in his 1030m trial and was taken on near the turn then stuck to the inside and kicked on strongly. He went to the finish with his ears pricked and was nabbed on the line by Te Akau Shark.
"It was his first decent hit-out since the Caulfield Cup," Baker said. "He didn't see the other horse coming and could have won the trial.
"He's a big, powerful horse and is coming up really well."
Jon Snow has won three times on his two trips to Australia. He landed the Gr.2 Tulloch Stakes (2000m) and Gr.1 ATC Derby (2400m) in Sydney as an autumn three-year-old and won the Gr.3 JRA Cup (2040m) at Moonee Valley last September before finishing third in the Gr.1 Caulfield Stakes (2000m).
"He'll either kick off at Hastings (September 1) or go to Melbourne for the Memsie Stakes (1400m) the same day at Caulfield.
"We really need a bit of rain in Melbourne for him. Caulfield and Flemington are such good-draining tracks now.
"We're keeping our options open and the beauty with him is we can throw him on a plane at the last minute and not worry about him. We know he travels well."
Though the Melbourne Cup is on Jon Snow's radar, Baker believes the son of Iffraaj could be better suited to the 2400m of the Gr.1 Caulfield Cup.
Zacada, on the other hand, is proven at 3200m and the Melbourne Cup is the ultimate mission for the Zabeel six-year-old.
He finished fourth in the Gr.1 Auckland Cup (3200m) and went down by a nose last start when beaten by Who Shot Thebarman in the Gr.1 Sydney Cup (3200m).
Like Jon Snow, Zacada was making his first public appearance since an Australian campaign when he trialled at Te Teko and he passed the test with flying colours.
After being last on settling, Zacada looped the field and finished strongly to score by a length and a quarter from Big Mike.
"That was a top trial," Baker said. "He showed a bit of dash and he can go to Hawke's Bay for the open mile on the first day.
"We'll then look to get him to Melbourne. We know he can stay and he's tough."
The Baker and Forsman juggernaut rolled-on at the trials at Avondale on Tuesday, with a number of quality gallopers pleasing.
Gr.1 New Zealand Stakes (2000m) winner Saint Emilion defeated Group Three-winning stablemate Highlad in a 1200m heat. Meanwhile, talented four-year-old Mongolian Marshal won his 1000m heat in solid fashion, and three-year-old filly Rubira caught the eye when closing for third in her heat over 1000m. – NZ Racing Desk
