7 January 2009
Cambridge trainer Murray Baker still has a $1 million prize in his sights with crack three-year-old galloper Fully Fledged.
The very talented sprinting son of Align finished second behind Accardo in the Listed $55,000 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day which has forced a change of plans by the Baker stable.
Murray Baker, who trains in partnership with son Bjorn, had hoped for a win from Fully Fledged at Ellerslie so he could head straight into the $1 million Telegraph Handicap (1200m), a Group 1 event at Trentham on January 17.
“Had he won the Newmarket he would have had a high enough rating to be assured of a start in the Telegraph. Now we probably run him at Thames to give him another chance to guarantee a Telegraph start,” said Murray Baker.
Fully Fledged was the highest rated male two-year-old in New Zealand last season after he had won the Group 1 Diamond Stakes at Ellerslie.
He has continued on with his good form this season with further black-type success in the Listed James and Annie Sarten Memorial Stakes (1400m) at Te Rapa in October.
Baker said Fully Fledged had come through the Newmarket Handicap in good order and has no concerns about backing him up in the open sprint at the Thames meeting on January 4.
