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Winter carnival still a hope for Baccarat Baby

6 March 2019

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By Glenn Davis

The upcoming Brisbane winter carnival could have a major bearing on talented filly Baccarat Baby’s interstate campaign.

Baccarat Baby is a likely visitor to Sydney after her clash with stablemate Eminent in the Class Six Handicap (1600m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Trainer David Vandyke has nominated Baccarat Baby for the major three-year-old races in Sydney but also wants her to be around for the winter carnival on home soil.

“I’d like to get some Black-Type for her and she’s in all the major three-year-old races in Sydney,” Vandyke said.

“But I’ll just take things one race at a time as I’d like her to be around for the winter here as well.

“I don’t want to go off too soon with her.”

Baccarat Baby showed she was up to Group class after four straight wins at home before running a close fifth in the Group 1 Flight Stakes at Randwick in September.

The daughter of former Group 1 winner Casino Prince produced a strong performance in her comeback when a fast finishing third to Scallopini in a 1200-metre Class Six at Eagle Farm last month.

“She got back at her first run back but she hit the line strongly,” Vandyke said.

“She’s stepping up to 1600 metres this time but with the run under her belt she should be very competitive.

“It’s not ideal she and Eminent are running against each other but it’s the right race for both of them.”

Vandyke had a big opinion of Eminent as a two-year-old but shelved plans at the time to head to Sydney for the major two-year-old races.

“He won at his last run last campaign and he won again first up,” Vandyke said.

‘He’ll enjoy going to the mile and he’s in the best form of his career so he’ll race well again.

“I think he’s also a winter chance and could be up to Listed or Group 3 level.”

Vandyke had Eminent gelded after winning a Benchmark race at Ipswich last May and had planned to continue his winter campaign last year.

“He was gelded a bit late after he won at Ipswich last campaign and he lightened off a lot so I decided to put him out straight away for a decent break,” he said.

Vandyke also is hoping for strong performances from Remarkable Son in the Class Three Plate and Foxy Housewife in the fillies Benchmark 80 Handicap.

Racing Queensland webnews   March 6