Sole Kiwi out of Cup
The Melbourne Cup dream is over but Murray Baker has already turned the page and began to look forward.
Baker, who trains in partnership with Andrew Forsman at Cambridge, had his Melbourne Cup hopes dashed on Saturday when Jon Snow was not permitted to accept for Tuesday’s A$6.2 million race because he was found to be lame.
Baker, who has trained more Group I winners (21) on Australian soil than any other Kiwi trainer, was obviously still disappointed with the decision on Sunday but said there was no point dwelling on something that was out of his control. ‘‘You just have to turn the page and move on, that’s the game we’re in,’’ he said.
He still insists there was nothing wrong with the son of Iffraaj who was a $31 chance in the pre-draw Melbourne Cup market. Jon Snow, last season’s Australian Derby winner, was inspected on Saturday morning following what Baker described as a brilliant piece of work. He was trotted up on concrete and found to be two in five lame.
‘‘He’s got a flat heel on one side. He always feels it when he first comes out of his box but once he gets going he’s fine.
"It’s no different to a rugby player. When they go out to warm up they are stiff and sore but once they are warmed up they are away and then after the game they are stiff again,’’ Baker said.
He said if it had of been a tendon or a structural injury there was no way they would have contemplated a start in the brutal 3200m race.
‘‘I would never have even contemplated running him if I thought the horse was in jeopardy. You wouldn’t even think about taking the risk,’’ Baker said.
At just four and with $2 million in stakes already in the bank, Jon Snow potentially has three more year’s racing at the top level and if he could win another major race he could also have a lucrative career at stud.
Losing the opportunity to watch their horse run in the Melbourne Cup was obviously disappointing for Jon Snow’s owners the Zame Partnership, Baker said.
Some members of the Zame family had already travelled to Melbourne. ‘‘You really have to feel for them, it’s a tough blow,’’ Baker said. He said it was also a blow for all New Zealanders.
‘‘It’s very disappointing that we are going to go another year without a New Zealand trained horse in the race.’’
Baker was so confident the horse was fine, he had already turned his attention to a possible start at Flemington on Saturday but holds concerns stewards could scratch him again.
The A$2 million Emirates Stakes (2000m), where Jon Snow would clash with three-year-old
rival and fellow Kiwi Gingernuts, or the Group III A$300,000 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) were the races being considered.
‘‘I’ll need to make a decision in the next day or two,’’ Baker said.
The difference of opinion between Baker and Racing Victoria stewards was tainted with a feeling of deja vu for both parties.
Stewards determined Jon Snow’s stablemate Bonneval was one in five lame before the running of the Caulfield Cup when Baker insisted there was no issue. She was eventually cleared to run.
Regardless of whether he starts on Saturday, Jon Snow will be back in Australia to contest the autumn carnival in Sydney.
Meanwhile Weather With You finished the Victoria Derby in eighth but showed plenty of potential considering he refused to settle early. ‘‘The penny hasn’t dropped yet but when it does I think he can be a very good horse.’’
‘‘It’s no different to a rugby player. When they go out to warm up they are stiff and sore but once they are warmed up they are away and then after the game they are stiff again.’’
Murray Baker on Jon Snow