Baker Forsman Quartet Arrive in Sydney

Media Release - Sunday March 20

An attack on the riches of the New South Wales autumn carnival by trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman gathered momentum when stablemates The Chosen One, Regal Lion, White Noise and Marroni flew to Sydney on Saturday.

The well performed quartet will all be in action this coming weekend as they prepare to tackle Group One targets during the two-day The Championships carnival at Royal Randwick in April.

 The Chosen One will have the Gr.1 Sydney Cup (3200m) as the main target for his Australian autumn campaign Photo Credit: Race Images – Peter Rubery

Both promising stayer Marroni and established Group One performer The Chosen One are being set for the Gr.1 Sydney Cup (3200m) on April 9, with The Chosen One to have his lead up run in Saturday’s Gr.1 Tancred Stakes (2400m) at Rosehill while Marroni will tackle either the Gr.3 Neville Sellwood Stakes (2000m) on the Rosehill card or the Listed Albury Gold Cup (2000m) a day earlier.

“We put four of them on the plane on Saturday and plan to run them all this coming weekend,” Baker said.

Advertisement

“Marroni and The Chosen One are both being set for the Sydney Cup, however Marroni may need to win to make it into the final field for that one.

“He was very unlucky at Ellerslie last time as he was badly interfered with during the running and was a bit stiff and sore afterwards.

“It has been pretty wet in Sydney lately and that type of track won’t worry him, but it is more a matter of ensuring he is hard fit for a race like the Sydney Cup.

“The Chosen One pulled up really well after running third in the Bonecrusher Stakes (Gr.1, 2000m) at Ellerslie and he has performed well in Sydney before.

“He will start in the Tancred Stakes and then go straight to the Sydney Cup.”

The Chosen One enjoys a good record in Sydney having won the Gr.3 Frank Packer Plate (2000m) as a three-year-old following an unlucky run for fourth in the Gr.1 AJC Derby (2400m) while he also finished second in the 2020 Sydney Cup before running sixth in the race last year.

Three-year-old duo Regal Lion and White Noise are set to contest the Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick on April 2 after finishing third and seventh respectively in the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) at their last start.

The pair will tackle the Gr.2 Tulloch Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill on Saturday, a race that Baker has won on five previous occasions with Our Palliser (1987), The Bill (1993), Harris Tweed (2009) along with Jon Snow (2017) and Quick Thinker (2020) when in partnership with Forsman.

“Both of our three-year-olds that we sent over have thrived since their New Zealand Derby runs, but they will need to run well this weekend to justify a start in the Derby,” Baker said.

“I don’t think a wet track will bother them too much and the tempo of the racing in Sydney will also suit them.

“Once we have seen how they go this Saturday we can confirm whether they go on to the Derby or look for another option.”

The master horseman, who hopes to make it to Sydney at some stage through the carnival, is in the final throes of his training career and is set to retire at the beginning of May, with Forsman to take the reins in a solo capacity.

Baker, also advised that Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) winner Lickety Split would attempt to complete a Group One double next month when she tackles the Gr.1 Courtesy Ford Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Awapuni on April 2. – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Best On Breeding
The cerise, white crossed sashes and black cap of Bob Peters, Peter's Investments, may not be the once dominant force they have been for decades in Western Australian racing, but they are far from finished.
Magic Millions 2025 Magazine Online
The 2025 Magic Millions magazine is now online with a great mix of gallery images, editorial and vendor profilies.
Vale, Danny Champion
The thoroughbred racing industry is in mourning following the passing of respected horseman Danny Champion.
Ka Ying Rising connection draws Hayes team to Shamexpress at Karaka
With one of the world’s most exciting sprinters flying the flag for David Hayes in Hong Kong, it has been no surprise to see the trainer’s sons zeroing in on progeny of Windsor Park Stud stallion Shamexpress during the Ready to Run Sale at Karaka this week.
City of Troy Crowned 2024 Cartier European Horse of the Year
Outstanding Justify colt City of Troy was crowned Horse of the Year at the 2024 Cartier awards on Wednesday night in London at a star studded ceremony at the Dorchester Hotel.
$2,000 Gavelhouse Bargain Keeps on Winning!
The Grey Goose continued to belie her purchase price last start when recording her fifth win at Wingatui, bringing her career earnings to more than $225,000.
$1.3million Snitzel Colt Ready to Fire on Debut for Te Akau
Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson are confident they have the young firepower to make an early impression in the first of the black type features at Pukekohe Park on Saturday.
Castelvecchio Out for Remainder of Season
Aeliana’s late charge into second place in the $1.5million Group I MRC Thousand Guineas last Saturday stamped her as the filly to follow out of the race, but it wasn’t quite enough to put her sire Castelvecchio to the top of the second season sires list and he is now out of service at Arrowfield following surgery last week.
Sires With Winners - Thursday November 21
Here is the full list of 32 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Cambridge Stud News
It’s been the spring that keeps giving for Cambridge Stud and it’s not over yet.