Baker is sure Samadoubt can feature again

Trainer Bjorn Baker believes Samadoubt can repeat his Winx Stakes triumph in the Chelmsford.

A boilover winner of the Group One Winx Stakes, Samadoubt will return to the scene of his greatest triumph in a bid to claim a few more high-profile scalps in the Chelmsford Stakes at Randwick.

And trainer Bjorn Baker will not be surprised to see a repeat performance.

Samadoubt led his rivals a merry dance when he made the running and kicked strongly to win over 1400 metres at Randwick first-up, leaving the likes of Happy Clapper and Avilius in his wake.

He returns to the venue on Saturday, this time over a more preferable distance of 1600 metres, and again finds himself up against a host of stayers at the beginning of their respective preparations.

Before his Winx Stakes heroics, Samadoubt’s best win had been in the Listed Canberra Cup but Baker does not believe the six-year-old’s last-start performance was a one-off.

“He’s older and tougher and stronger and doing everything superbly,” Baker said.

“His trackwork going into that race was very good and we thought he might have had some chance, but he’s come out of it really, really well too.

“Who knows? But he’s really well, his work has been excellent and I can’t fault him.”

The Group Two Chelsmford Stakes has attracted a bumper field of 16 runners with Godolphin’s Avilius the $1.95 favourite to atone for his Winx Stakes defeat.

Samadoubt is being kept safe at $8.50 with only last year’s race winner Unforgotten splitting the pair as an $8 chance.

Every runner is either first or second-up including Sydney Cup winner Shraaoh and Finche, who has not raced since his superb fourth in last year’s Melbourne Cup and has since been gelded.

That pair form a strong Chelmsford contingent for Chris Waller who saddles up half of the field in his quest to win the race for a sixth time.

But all are likely to have to run down Samadoubt, who Baker expects to again set the pace from his outside draw.

“He’ll be able to just roll forward at his own tempo so I’m not too worried,” Baker said.

“We’ll see how the day’s playing, how the track’s playing, but he’s definitely not out of it.”