Gustavo
Trish Dunell
Co-trainer Murray Baker is looking for a form reversal from consistent gelding Gustavo when he tackles the Listed Manawatu ITM Anzac Mile at Awapuni on Monday.
The five-year-old Savabeel gelding won or placed in fourteen of his first seventeen starts but hasn't quite lived up to those impressive credentials in his last few runs.
"It's going to be his last run before he heads out for a decent winter break so I'm hopeful he can put in a good performance to finish off this prep," said Baker.
"He hasn't had all the luck of late and at his best he would be very competitive. He doesn't mind a little cut in the track and has run second at his only three starts at Awapuni so he does like it there.
"He's been right around the money throughout his career so deserves to get a win at this level."
Baker was also delighted with performance of another stable runner on the weekend with St Emilion snaring his ninth career win at Ellerslie.
"He's done a superb job this season and can go out for a well deserved spell now," he said.
"We were going to tip him out after his last run but he came home from Hastings bucking and squealing so we decided to give him one more and he did us proud again."
Baker wasn't as happy to report that promising galloper Verdi is on the easy list after banging a tendon during his run for second at Pukekohe recently. The strapping son of Zabeel, who is a half-brother to multiple Group One winners Puccini and Sir Slick, will now have an enforced break although Baker is confident the time off will only benefit the gelding who he rates as a high quality stayer of the future. – NZ Racing Desk
The five-year-old Savabeel gelding won or placed in fourteen of his first seventeen starts but hasn't quite lived up to those impressive credentials in his last few runs.
"It's going to be his last run before he heads out for a decent winter break so I'm hopeful he can put in a good performance to finish off this prep," said Baker.
"He hasn't had all the luck of late and at his best he would be very competitive. He doesn't mind a little cut in the track and has run second at his only three starts at Awapuni so he does like it there.
"He's been right around the money throughout his career so deserves to get a win at this level."
Baker was also delighted with performance of another stable runner on the weekend with St Emilion snaring his ninth career win at Ellerslie.
"He's done a superb job this season and can go out for a well deserved spell now," he said.
"We were going to tip him out after his last run but he came home from Hastings bucking and squealing so we decided to give him one more and he did us proud again."
Baker wasn't as happy to report that promising galloper Verdi is on the easy list after banging a tendon during his run for second at Pukekohe recently. The strapping son of Zabeel, who is a half-brother to multiple Group One winners Puccini and Sir Slick, will now have an enforced break although Baker is confident the time off will only benefit the gelding who he rates as a high quality stayer of the future. – NZ Racing Desk