Racing: Barriers a horror for Baker

Cambridge trainer Murray Baker is beginning to get a complex about his horror big-race draws.

First Mistrale jumps from a course neighbour's front lawn in the Auckland Cup, and then Sahara Flight gets stuck in the carpark at the start of the New Zealand Oaks.

Now Tusker, who is looking to graduate to group class at Trentham, must somehow find her way back near the fence from the 16 gate in the Williams & Adams Hyundai Stakes tomorrow.

All Baker can do now is leave that headache to rider Leith Innes to solve - he's pretty sure he's got the horse with the talent to win.

Tusker toyed with her three-year-old rivals at Ellerslie last time out three weeks ago.

"The Horlicks family does take a little while to get going and I think it's just taken a bit for the penny to drop with her as well," said Baker.

"She's got to make the step up in group company before you can start comparing her to some of the other fillies I've had but I'm very happy with her going into this race."

Tusker was rated a $6.50 hope on the TAB's fixed odds market yesterday. Derby runner-up Mandela was the early favourite at $4.

Baker has three entries in the Trentham under-card and is expecting big runs from Ivory Storm, Viz Vitae and South Australian Oaks winner Dowry.

Viz Vitae should be hard to beat in the Summer Cup, while Baker wants to see Dowry running home strongly fresh-up in the Douro Cup.

"Viz Vitae was a foster foal reared with the cows so he's been a bit weak until now but is starting to look like a good staying type.

"The Wellington Cup was always going to come up a year too soon for him but we could look at taking him to Adelaide later this year."

Aside from a gallop between races at Te Rapa, Dowry has been absent from raceday since tailing Balmuse home in the million-dollar feature at Hastings last October.

Baker, however, still expects his early Sydney Cup hope to show form at short notice.