Why Babylon Berlin on way to campaign in Queensland

Class sprinter Babylon Berlin is joining Tony Pike’s team for the next couple of months to take on some of Australia’s best sprinters.

The All Too Hard mare returned to the track at Cambridge on Tuesday, winning a 950m open catchweight trial on the synthetic track in her first appearance since finishing a close second to Sword of State in the King’s Plate (1200m) at Ellerslie last month.

Babylon Berlin’s trainer Ben Foote said she and stablemate Ruach would now join Pike’s strong team heading to Queensland, leaving on Friday.

Foote has gone to Australia before with horses but said it made more sense for the pair to join Pike’s team in Queensland for this campaign.

“Tony goes every year and he knows how to operate over there,” Foote said. “I’ve got seven yearlings turning up from Australia in May so I don’t like to be away from the stables too long when I’ve got those young horses with me.

“I’ll turn up at the weekends in Queensland to watch them but I don’t need to be there.”

Foote said Babylon Berlin is likely to have her first Australian start in the Listed Bright Shadow Stakes (1100m) for fillies and mares at Doomben on May 14, and then probably head to the Listed Helen Coughlan Stakes (1200m) for fillies and mares at Eagle Farm on May 28.

If she was to race well in those events, there is a chance she could contest the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 11, or possibly the Group 2 Dane Ripper Stakes (1300m) on the same card for fillies and mares.

“Where she goes after her first two races will depend on how well she measures up,” Foote said.

“She may be nominated for the Stradbroke, but she’s going to have to prove herself before she would start in that field.”

Babylon Berlin has raced only once at 1400m, over-racing when finishing fifth in the Group 3 Soliloquy Stakes on October 20, but Foote said she was well capable of staying the trip now.

“As she’s matured she’s getting to the line better in her races,” he said.

“She has only been at 1400m once and we tried to ride her in behind and it didn’t suit her. I don’t think 1400m holds any fears now; she seems to kick on a lot more than she used to.” Ruach will start in the Rough Habit Plate (2000m) at Doomben on May 14, with his major aim being the Queensland Derby at Eagle Farm on May 28.