Trainer George Baker plundered a significant international prize a fortnight ago when his Wargrave (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) took the feature event at Switzerland's St. Moritz White Turf meeting, the Longines 81st Grosser Preis von St Moritz, and the Surrey-based trainer looks to double up with Graignes (Fr) (Zoffany {Ire}) in the $1-million stc 1351 Cup at Riyadh on Saturday.
“We pulled off the first half of the February double up that mountain and I can't wait to see if we can pull off the second half in Saudi Arabia,” Baker said on Thursday. “It would be beyond our wildest dreams to see him win it but I would be disappointed if he didn't run well. We went a little off-piste going to St Moritz and this is totally different again.”
Graignes was beaten a nose when second in the G3 Prix Djebel last spring before finishing fourth in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains, and later in the season he ran with credit in races like the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois and G3 Prix du Pin for trainer Yann Barberot. Graignes will be making his first start for Baker on Saturday, having been bought for €600,000 by his new connections at the Arqana Arc Sale in October. A good showing on Saturday would pay tribute to popular young bloodstock agent Sebastien Le Forban who tragically died aged 35 just a month ago. Le Forban purchased Graignes as a yearling for €40,000 and pinhooked him at two for €90,000, and bought him back on behalf of the new owner at Saint-Cloud last fall.
“We bought him in Paris at the sale the night before the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and he was an exciting buy,” said Baker. “He was bought by our bloodstock agent in France, Sebastien Le Forban, as a yearling and he had followed his career ever since. We had an owner who wanted a proper horse so Sebastien earmarked him as the perfect horse.
“Sadly Sebastien died in Florida last month and he had been pivotal to our success in France so this horse is very much carrying his mark and he will be doing his hardest to give us a push from above. It would be a bittersweet win for us, but also a force of nature.”
Baker admitted the 1351 metre trip on Saturday could be slightly short for the horse, but said the 4-year-old's preparation is based around the G1 Prix de la Foret in October, in which he was fifth, beaten five lengths, last year.
“It looks a very tough race and the trip might just be on the sharp side as he will end up being a 1400 or even 1600-metre horse,” Baker said. “We will work back from the Foret and look at all the big mile races. He will probably end up in France at some point due to the premiums and he probably is best with a bit of cut in the ground.”
The Saudi Cup will be televised in the U.S. live on FOX Sports 1 at Noon ET (DIRECTV ch. 219, Dish ch.150) with the undercard airing on TVG. In the UK, it will be shown on Sky Sports Racing and Racing TV.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
