Trainer Bjorn Baker is weighing up the best route to take with Golden Gift runner-up Infatuation as he plots a path towards the Magic Millions at the Gold Coast in January.
The filly has been nominated for the $200,000 Wyong Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1100m) at the NSW Central Coast track on Wednesday, but Baker is yet to commit to a start.
“We have nominated her but I’m not sure,” Baker said.
“We could possibly go around next Saturday (at Randwick), or to a trial.
“We’ve got an open book at this stage, so we’ll just have a think about it.”
Baker won the Wyong feature with Unencumbered in 2014 and that horse went on to capture the Gold Coast showpiece a month later.
There are 20 entries for the Listed Wyong Magic Millions, including Max Lees Classic winner Fire Lane, Golden Gift third placegetter Summer Loving and Mach Ten, who was runner-up in the Breeders’ Plate at his only start in October.
Infatuation, who sits on the third line of betting for next month’s $2 million Magic Millions Classic (1200m) at $11, is Baker’s lone nomination for the Wyong juvenile feature, while he has entered Change Is Coming and Rupertaar for the Wyong Magic Millions 3YO & 4YO Stakes (1200m) on the same program.
Rupertaar was scratched from Randwick on Saturday in preference for the midweek assignment.
Meanwhile, the stable’s exciting sprinter Shades Of Rose is back in pre-training as she prepares for an autumn Group 1 assault.
The four-year-old had a breakout campaign during the winter and autumn, stringing together four wins in succession highlighted by her Group 2 victory in the Sheraco Stakes (1200m).
That performance earned her a call-up into The Everest and she wasn’t disgraced, finishing eighth and just over three lengths from winner Giga Kick.
Baker reported Shades Of Rose had spelled well and connections were considering targets in Melbourne and Sydney.
“She is bigger and stronger, she looks fantastic and I can’t wait to get her back in,” he said.
“There are plenty of options to weigh up.
“We might even go down to Melbourne for a race like the Oakleigh Plate, or to a race like the Galaxy (in Sydney).
“If she performs in one of those then we can look at a race like the T J (Smith Stakes).”