The annual Kiwi invasion of the Sydney autumn carnival is beginning early this year with Fully Fledged who runs in the Royal Sovereign Stakes at Randwick.The colt is trained by Murray Baker and his son Bjorn who is in charge of the three-year-old ahead of Saturday's Group Two feature.Less than a year ago, the Bakers brought Nom Du Jeu across the Tasman to plunder the AJC Australian Derby and they are hoping Fully Fledged can uphold the stable's reputation."He has settled in well after the flight

The annual Kiwi invasion of the Sydney autumn carnival is beginning early this year with Fully Fledged who runs in the Royal Sovereign Stakes at Randwick.

The colt is trained by Murray Baker and his son Bjorn who is in charge of the three-year-old ahead of Saturday's Group Two feature.

Less than a year ago, the Bakers brought Nom Du Jeu across the Tasman to plunder the AJC Australian Derby and they are hoping Fully Fledged can uphold the stable's reputation.

"He has settled in well after the flight on Tuesday," Baker said.

"He is a pretty battle-hardened horse and I'm happy with how he is.

"We haven't really mapped out a plan beyond the Royal Sovereign.

"The race will tell us how he measures up against the Australian horses and whether we then step him up in distance or keep him to the 1200 metres.

"We'll just play things by ear."

A Group One winner as a two-year-old, Fully Fledged has had a mixed season at three.

He won a 1400m Listed race in October but finished unplaced in the NZ 2000 Guineas (1600m).

His two starts since have been against older horses for a second in the Newmarket Handicap on Boxing Day and ninth in the Telegraph Handicap on January 17, both over 1200 metres.

"There are not too many options for a sprinting three-year-old in New Zealand so he had to go up against the older horses," Baker said.

"The track was too hard for him in the Telegraph so I'm pleased to see some rain around Sydney.

"A dead track would be ideal."

Jeff Lloyd, who rode Nom Du Jeu to victory in the Derby and second in the Caulfield Cup, was aboard Fully Fledged in the Telegraph at Trentham.

But with Lloyd on the injured list his brother-in-law Glyn Schofield has been enlisted to steer Fully Fledged.

"We are more than happy to have Glyn aboard," Baker said.

"He is riding extremely well in Sydney at the moment."

The Bakers are enjoying a successful season in New Zealand, currently running second on the premiership to the powerful Mark Walker stable.

A decision on whether Nom Du Jeu returns to Sydney is on hold after the horse's first-up failure in last week's Waikato Sprint where he finished last of the 15 runners.

"We haven't been able to find anything wrong with him," Baker said.

"But it is a worry to see him run that badly.

"As long as everything is okay the plan is to bring him over for the Chipping Norton Stakes in three weeks and then go on to The BMW.

""We've still got time on our side."

The Group One Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) is at Warwick Farm on March 7 while the $2.25 million BMW (2400m) at Rosehill is on April 4.