KEY POINTS:
Murray Baker knows he's got a job on his hands to get Nom Du Jeu to win the $700,000 Mercedes Derby at Ellerslie.
Baker picked up Saturday's $75,000 HS Dyke Waikato Guineas over 2000m with the horse he describes as being very fragile.
"He eats a bucket of
feed a night, but you wouldn't know where it goes. He always looks like a hat rack," said Baker after Nom Du Jeu outsprinted the leaders late in the group three feature on Saturday.
The win did not surprise the Cambridge trainer, who has long been Nom Du Jeu's biggest fan.
"I've always rated him - he won his 2-year-old race coming from last at Pukekohe.
"His problem is that's he's fragile."
Nom Du Jeu is by Montjeu from Baker's Kelt Capital and Brisbane Cup winner Prized Gem.
Baker's job now is to produce the 3-year-old into the Derby in the same condition he fronted up at Te Rapa on Saturday.
"He had just the one run at Trentham this preparation. I didn't want to trial him because it might have taken the edge off him.
"He might have one more run, possibly in the Championship Stakes at Ellerslie, but I haven't decided. "I'll see how he does."
Rider Noel Harris told Baker on dismounting he could have taken off on the horse at any stage of the second half of the race with the same result.
"It was just a matter of plotting a course through them."
Nom Du Jeu had to change ground twice in the home straight, but he still had too much sprint for the opposition.
Noel Harris has an almost unique ability to motivate a horse forward when it is changing ground without checking its momentum.
Interestingly, the two biggest races in New Zealand on Saturday were won by our two most senior jockeys: 53-year-old Harris in the Waikato Guineas and 48-year-old David Walsh's successes - his career 2000th - on Borninthestates in the $55,000 Dunedin Casino Gold Cup.
Well-fancied Il Divo fought hard right to the finish after being left in front in the centre of the track from the 300m. He didn't flinch and rider Jason Waddell said he felt the horse is probably a bit better going the reverse Ellerslie way around.
Sircross similarly fought just as hard for third and Pierre Joseph was narrowly outfinished after looking likely to drive clear when he dived between horses at the 200m.
Six O'Clock News faded after doing work from an outside barrier and sitting outside the leader to the home bend and Prince Kaapstad shouldn't be marked too harshly after being put off balance early in the home straight.
There appears to be very little among the half dozen top staying 3-year-olds we've been seeing around and the run of the race is likely to determine the Derby.
Add Red Ruler and Avancer to the list of Saturday's hopefuls and an intriguing contest is assured.* Auckland apprentice Sam Spratt has been suspended for five riding days after being found guilty of careless riding at Te Rapa on Saturday. Stewards found Spratt had allowed her mount Revere to shift inwards when not clear of Defox in a 2000m maiden. Defox clipped heels at the 800m mark. She has been suspended from the end of racing on Wednesday until the end of racing the following Wednesday.
