Queensland Oaks 2016: Bjorn Baker to maintain Imposing strike rate with smart filly

BJORN Baker won’t be wearing a snorkel on Saturday as he reckons the expected rain deluge would only be classed a light shower in his former New Zealand homeland.

Kerrin McEvoy and Music Magnate return to scale after winning the Doomben 10,000.

BJORN Baker will not be wearing a snorkel to Eagle Farm on Saturday. He reckons the expected rain deluge would only be classed a light shower in his New Zealand homeland.

But jokes aside, the in-form Sydney trainer reckons he can win Group 1s in consecutive weeks if the Queensland Oaks meeting goes ahead.

Buoyed by the triumph of Music Magnate in last week’s Doomben 10,000, Baker is confident his nice filly Imposing Lass can handle the predicted soggy Eagle Farm track.

Imposing Lass is the $6 Oaks favourite with UBET and comes into the Group 1 in nice form, having won the Gold Coast Bracelet and then finishing a tough third in The Rose after being wide early.

She is untried on heavy tracks but is one from one on soft tracks.

“She is out of a Zabeel mare so there should be no problems there,’’ Baker said. “She was sired by Makfi and they also tend to handle the wet.

Imposing Lass (middle) proves too strong for Self Esteem (right) in the Gold Coast Bracelet. Picture: Grant Peters, Trackside Photography

“I am pretty confident she will be fine on a wet track, or in fact whatever the track condition is.

“She is fit and tough and will put herself in the first half-dozen in the race and be extremely hard to beat.

“I also have no doubt she will stay the 2400m because she did plenty of work in her last run yet was pretty strong at the end of 2000m.’’

The Baker stable has been the punter’s pal this season and the former Kiwi has enjoyed a fabulous strike rate.

Kerrin McEvoy raises his whip as Music Magnate takes out the Doomben 10,000. Picture: AAP

However Music Magnate flew under the radar of punters last week, getting out to as much as $12 before winning the Doomben 10,000 by almost a length.

A lot of the pre-race 10,000 talk centred on the suicidal speed of Fell Swoop, Hooked and Two Blue, who were allowed to fly along at a frantic pace.

In the wash-up, Baker believes Music Magnate did not get the credit he deserved.

“It was a great effort by my horse to win the 10,000 and he won pretty comfortably at the end,’’ Baker said.

“A lot of the talk has been about how the race was run and my horse hasn’t got much of a wrap.

“I just don’t think he got the credit he deserved for what was a very good win.’’

Music Magnate, a $7.50 chance for next week’s Stradbroke Handicap, came to Brisbane after running second to Clearly Innocent in the Luskin Star at Scone.

Baker said the Scone run was better than it looked, considering Music Magnate’s float broke down on the way to the track that day and the gelding only just got to the races in time.

Originally published as Queensland Oaks 2016: Bjorn Baker to maintain Imposing strike rate with smart filly