Trainers turn the screws on Turn Me Loose
He’s been a bit tubby but the Murray Baker and Andrew Forsmantrained Turn Me Loose hinted he’s right on form to defend his Futurity Stakes title on February 25.
His Cambridge trainers have been battling the bulge with the big, powerful entire but a good getaway and the chance to bowl along in front in Saturday’s Orr Stakes at Caulfield showed he’s back.
The son of Iffraaj returned to form with a front-running second to Black Heart Bart in the Group I race over 1400m.
‘‘We’re thrilled with how our guy went behind a high class horse in Black Heart Bart,’’ Baker said.
‘‘He’s a 5-year-old now so he takes a bit of racing to get fully fit, so I’m hoping he will be spot on for the Futurity in a fortnight.
‘‘He’s bumped into a good one and Black Heart Bart will be in the Futurity but we just hope there’s a bit of improvement in our guy, and I’m sure there is.’’
He won the A$500,000 Caulfield feature last year after finishing fourth in the Orr and his return to form augurs well for massive possible targets beyond the Futurity.
‘‘We’ve nominated him for the Dubai race and the Australian Cup,’’ Baker said. Connections have long been keen to test the horse beyond 1600m and have him in nominations for the A$1.5 million Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington on March 11 and the US$6M Dubai Turf (1800m) in late March.
He also holds Randwick nominations for the Doncaster Mile (1600m) on April 1 and the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) on April 8.
Meanwhile the stable could have as many as five runners in the New Zealand Derby (2400m) on March 4.
Mongolian Legend enhanced his Derby claims with victory over 2100m at Te Rapa on Saturday, while Jon Snow lost little in defeat when seventh in the Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m).
‘‘Jon Snow was very brave but probably just needed some rain to show his best,’’ Baker said.
‘‘Mongolian Legend is a horse with a lot of potential so I was pleased to see him get the win.
‘‘He’s a colt who can take his mind off the job at times, which you saw on the weekend when he did a few things wrong, so hopefully he will learn a little more from the run.’’
Fellow New Zealand Derby aspirants Mongolian Wolf, Highlad and Camino Rocoso are set for the Group II Avondale Guineas (2100m) this weekend.
The stable quinella in the Group II Sir Tristram Fillies Classic (2000m) buoyed hopes for the Group I NZ Oaks (2400m) on March 18.
A plan was hatched to make the race a true staying test to find a flaw in the armour of unbeaten favourite Volpe Veloce.
The plan worked a treat as Bonneval out-stayed stablemate Nicoletta with Volpe Veloce battling into fourth behind third placed Devise.
‘‘Both fillies will be heading to Trentham for the Oaks,’’ Baker said.
‘‘What they run in beforehand – the Sunline Vase or Lowland Stakes – is yet to be decided.’’