Bonny O'Reilly set for Dane Ripper Stakes

Friday 9 June 2017, 4:37pm

Bjorn Baker doesn't anticipate gun mare Bonny O'Reilly gaining promotion to the Stradbroke Handicap, and now the focus is on overcoming a wide gate to extend her winning streak.

The four-year-old is an emergency for Saturday's $1.5 million Group One race at Doomben and Baker does not expect her status to change.

"We are resigned to the fact Bonny O'Reilly will run in the Dane Ripper," he said.

Baker had no regrets about putting Bonny O'Reilly in the Listed Helen Coughlan Stakes last weekend rather than the Group Two Moreton Cup which offered the winner direct entry into the Stradbroke.

"I took the soft option but there's no regrets," he said. "What will be, will be."

Baker's focus is now on Bonny O'Reilly, the joint $4 favourite with Godolphin's Raiment, defying a wide draw in the Group Two Dane Ripper Stakes (1350m).

She is likely to start from gate 13 after scratchings.

"She's in super order but the wide draw will be a question mark for her," Baker said.

Baker is still represented in the Stradbroke by Egyptian Symbol, with the four-year-old rated a $17 chance.

"It's a tough race but she gets in with a good weight (53.5kg)," Baker said.

"She's definitely not out of it."

Baker also has several runners at Randwick, where Champagne Cuddles is a focal point as the filly attempts to go back-to-back after winning on debut in October.

Resuming after a 32-week spell after a fetlock chip was removed, Baker said the $2.80 favourite was in good order for the 2YO Plate (1000m) though she was encountering a heavy track for the first time.

"The heavy track is a bit of an unknown," he said.

"I'm hoping her class carries her through. Her mother (Sky Cuddle) got through a wet track so that might be something."

– AAP

Latest News

Prime Thoroughbreds - We have a Host of Leaders in our Team

Tuesday, 29 June 2021

Prime Thor­ough­bred’s cur­rent rac­ing team is putt­ing to­gether quite a re­cord. We have 22 hors­es that have raced in our team at pre­sent. Six­teen of th­ese are win­n­ers in­clud­ing the Stakes win­n­ing trio Ru­bisa­ki, Fituese and Xtreme­time with Miss Di­vine Em and Miss In Charge run­n­ing 4th in Stakes races. This sees a stakes win­n­er to win­n­er ra­tio of 18.75% with a stake’s per­formed to win­n­er ra­tio of 31.25%. Th­ese are ex­cep­tio­n­al fig­ures.   More »

Freedmans land maiden Group One win

Saturday, 27 February 2021

Un­der-rat­ed fil­ly For­bid­den Love has emerged as an au­tumn car­ni­val smokey with a bril­liant per­for­mance to win the Sur­round Stakes at Rand­wick.  More »

Capriccio completes Damian Lane treble

Saturday, 27 February 2021

In a big day for coun­try-trained hors­es, War­r­nam­bool fil­ly Capric­cio has tak­en out the In­glis Dash for Daniel Bow­man.  More »

More news headlines »