NZ premiership for Baker and Forsman
Veteran Murray Baker and his training partner Andrew Forsman have had a season to remember, culminating in a second New Zealand trainers’ premiership.
The two won the title in 2014/15 but the following season were outgunned by Te Akau Racing’s Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards.
The Baker-Forsman team notched 107 wins in New Zealand for 2016/17 including 19 at black-type level and claimed another five stakes races in Australia headlined by the Sydney Classic double of the Australian Derby with Jon Snow and Oaks with Bonneval.
“We’ve certainly had a great year, but I think it really just continues on from the level we have been at for the past four or five years,” Baker told NZ Racing Desk.
“I think this is the most number of black-type wins we have achieved with the 24 across New Zealand and Australia.
“Last season we probably won more prize money thanks to wins like the Caulfield Cup with Mongolian Khan and the Emirates Stakes with Turn Me Loose.
“Before that we did well with Dundeel and the like so we really have been building to the stage we are at now for a while.
“We managed to get success across the board with a mix of older and younger horses although it was our three-year- olds that probably got the most attention as a group.
“Jon Snow, Bonneval, Saracino and Eleonora all did well in Australia while Honey Rider and Nicoletta were also very good back home here.”