Four-time winning trainer Murry Baker has four fit horses lining-up in Saturday’s 2018 ATC Derby field and co-trainer Andrew Forsman said the stable was going into the Royal Randwick race with confidence.
Weather With You is one of four chances in Saturday’s ATC Derby 2018 field for last year’s winning trainers Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
The Cambridge-based Baker has enjoyed four victories with Kiwi raiders in the mile and a half classic going back to Nom Du Jeu (2008), including success in partnership with Baker last Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival.
The duo combined with Jon Snow winning the 2017 Group 1 $2 million Australian Derby (2400m) and they have a promising quartet in the mix this weekend on Day 2 of ‘The Championships’.
“We know we have four fit horses and we’re looking forward to the race,” Forsman told the New Zealand Racing Desk over the weekend.
The Australian Derby field attracted a full 18 starters plus four emergencies and the best fancied of the Baker & Forsman contingent is Vin De Dance at $9 through Ladbrokes.com.au.
The Roc De Cambes three-year-old won the Group 1 NZ Derby (2400m) over the distance two back at home in early March before travelling down under for a brave fourth to D’Argento in the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) a fortnight ago.
Proven over the 2400m and drawn well in barrier four, Vin De Dance presents as a livewire chance.
The stable’s other Rosehill Guineas graduate in the field is Mission Hill, the Teofilo gelding having run three lengths back seventh.
Last year’s ATC Derby winning jockey Damian Lane retains the ride on the weekend from gate nine and Mission Hill is rated an $11 chance at the upset.
“Both Vin De Dance and Mission Hill have thrived since the Rosehill Guineas and their work has been first-class,” Forsman said.
“They were in the same boat as Mongolian Marshal as they hadn’t raced since the New Zealand Derby so that run cleaned them both up nicely.”
Mongolian Marshal in the extreme outside barrier (20 into 18) and Weather With You drawn the opposite end of the field with the inside alley are the two other stablemates in the mix.
Craig Williams sticks on High Chaparral gelding Mongolian Marsh after the horse’s first-up fourth at Rosehill in last Saturday’s Group 2 Tulloch Stakes (2000m).
The Tulloch Stakes – ATC Derby double was completed by Jon Snow for Baker & Forsman 12 months ago and this year’s winner of the former, Levendi, is an $11 chance to repeat the feat.
Mongolian Marshal meanwhile was two lengths beaten in the race and pays $17 to atone this Saturday, while Weather With You ran a brave third in the Tulloch Stakes only a quarter length off the winner.
“It was really pleasing to see how they went and it showed they are on target for the Derby,” Forsman said of the Tulloch Stakes runs by the stable’s duo.
“Weather With You was a big lift in performance as he hasn’t been going that well of late.
“I think the step-up in distance suited him as he battled on very strongly and was coming back at the first two at the line.
“Mongolian Marshal was also very good as he hasn’t had a run for a few weeks. We know he will take real improvement out of the race.”
Another son of Teofilo, Weather With You has previous winning form in Australia having saluted in the Listed Geelong Classic (2200m) last October before his eighth to Ace High, favourite for the ATC Derby this weekend, in the Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m).
Check out the latest Australian Derby 2018 odds online now on the Kiwi raiders at Ladbrokes.com.au.
