Racing: 1000 Guineas prospects spring into action

Bella Rosalia may be prepared for the NZ Cup. Photo / Supplied

The first week of September starts spring and if you watched the appearance of 3-year-old talent on offer at Taupo yesterday you wouldn't disagree.

The class was so shiny bright you thought quickly through the gloom of winter tracks.

The Murray and Bjorn Baker stable produced a debut runner in Rockandready and the Australian-bred filly came up with a winning performance that was literally head-shaking.

Rockandready is a big filly who might have appreciated the firmer Taupo footing, but the tightness of the track had her long legs in trouble at the 300m.

She was close enough to last with 250m left and no chance of getting up for the win.

"I didn't give her any chance at that stage and I know how good she is," said co-trainer Murray Baker. Despite floating and getting her head up, Rockandready stormed down the outside under Michael Coleman to grab victory in the closing strides.

"She's got lots of talent, that was a brilliant effort," said Baker. "She'll learn plenty from that."

Baker is hoping the filly learns quickly enough to be a chance to take south for the 1000 Guineas at Riccarton, where the wide-open, home straight would suit her perfectly.

"We'll just have to keep our fingers crossed."

Andrew Scott's filly Sworn To Secrecy was no less impressive in dashing away from her opposition later in the programme to win by a wide margin.

The difference was that unlike Rockandready, who hadn't been to the races previously, Sworn To Secrecy had the experience of having finished second to talented filly Dating at Te Rapa on June 12. At her only subsequent start Dating won the Ryder Stakes.

She looked like a professional ranging up three and four wide on the home bend to attack the leaders.

"She over-raced in her first start and the time between runs has worked some maturity," said Scott.

The impressive part was the Keeper filly didn't sprint 150m quickly then battle to stay clear - she gradually built up a lengthy sprint and was travelling strongly on the line, suggesting she could also be at Riccarton for the 1600m.

"Lance [O'Sullivan] has been riding her work and feels she'll get the 1600m now she's coming back off the bridle."

Roger James produced a Pentire debut 3-year-old in He's Remarkable and his winning performance suggested he's a smart stayer in the making.

He's Remarkable, over 1300m, dashed away to score by 2 lengths.

"He's a colt that's bred to get a trip and I thought what he did over 1300m today was quite special," said Roger James.

"He's shown me a lot of class at home, but today I was aware that he's very quickly going to need more distance."

The 2000 Guineas is on the radar, but James said he'll be guided by the horse. "I'm still learning about him. He's still very frail and immature and we'll know a lot more about him after his next run, but I don't know when that will be."

The Baker stable won the final race with English mare Bella Rosalia, who excites Murray Baker as a stayer with a future. "She looked pretty good last season here, but being English bred she was always six months behind the other horses.

"I think she'll make into a very good staying type and I'd like to get her to the New Zealand Cup."

Baker says Saturday's stylish Sydney winner Lion Tamer has thrived, despite what looked to be a tough run in wet conditions.

"He's absolutely bouncing."

Lion Tamer was ridden on Saturday by Hugh Bowman, but will have a change of jockey, with Glyn Schofield up for his next start.