Baker after Queensland summer success

Tough Sydney galloper Coolring will lead the advance guard of what Sydney trainer Bjorn Baker hopes will be a big summer in Queensland.

Leading jockey Jeff Lloyd has been booked for Coolring who has drawn barrier nine in the Listed Keith Noud Quality at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Coolring had three starts in Queensland during the winter carnival, winning the Gold Coast Prime Minister’s Cup, finishing second in the Toowoomba Weetwood and running 12th in the Doomben BRC Sprint at his last start before a spell.

The gelding has had two starts in Sydney since his return and was an encouraging fourth to Kaepernick at Randwick two weeks ago.

Baker has been in New Zealand at the breeze-up sales but has been in constant contact with his racing manager Jack Bruce.

“Bjorn is very keen to have a big Queensland summer. Coolring will be the first of what we hope is a fairly big team up there. We will be based at the Gold Coast,” Bruce said.

“Coolring’s last run was solid and Jeff knows him from last time he was in Brisbane.”

“If he races well on Saturday there are some nice feature races for him in Brisbane so he might stay there.”

The stable will also have Brooklyn Storm, an unlucky second at Doomben last week, in the National Jockeys Trust (1200m) Bruce expects him to race well.

Bruce said several of the stable’s better young horses would also be heading to Brisbane.

“Winning Rupert is headed there and will start on December 3. He is after the bonus for the three-year-old triple crown in Brisbane,” Bruce said.

“Champagne Cuddles who won a two-year-old race in Sydney recently is also heading north.”

Winning Rupert is unbeaten in two starts in Queensland including the Group Two Champagne Stakes at Doomben.

Bruce said Baker liked running his horses in Queensland where he has had plenty of success including the 2014 Magic Millions Classic with Unencumbered.

“It is a lot easier these days to travel up to Brisbane and we do it a bit now,” he said.