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Training genius Murray Baker conceded he is surprised boom three-year-old Aegon has come up as favourite for his attempt to overcome a hoodoo on Kiwi three-year-olds in the Group 2 $400,000 Hobartville Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens.
Aegon, unbeaten in four New Zealand starts including the 2000 Guineas and Karaka Millions, is the $3.90 favourite against one of the strongest Hobartville fields for some years.
But even Baker is unsure how Aegon will measure up against some of the best local three-year-olds in training.
“Aegon is a pretty good young horse but he has to make the step up,’’ Baker told
The Daily Telegraph from his Cambridge stable base. “It’s a bit harder in Australia than it is at home. This race is a bit of a learning curve but I hope he is up to it.’’
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Cambridge trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman were buoyed by Aegon’s 1200m trial victory at Matamata on Tuesday ahead of his tilt at the Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m) at Ellerslie later this month.
The Group One-winning three-year-old sat in the trail behind Mannie’s Power before jockey Leith Innes asked him to improve at the 400m mark, and he ran away to a comfortable half-length victory.
His trainers were pleased with the hit-out and the way he was able to trial handier to the speed.
“He was still half a length slow out, but I guess the intention was to ride him a bit closer and obviously you can’t give them the start in big fields as you go up in grade against better horses,” Forsman said.