New Zealander Lion Tamer rocketed into Melbourne Cup favouritism with a barnstorming victory in the Underwood Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday.Ridden by Michael Rodd, the 2010 Victoria Derby winner was sent out at $16 and mowed down Adelaide mare Southern Speed ($31) in the straight to score a comfortable 1-1/4 length win with import Midas Touch ($9) a half-neck away third.Lion Tamer and Saturday's Naturalism Stakes winner December Draw are now equal top picks in the Melbourne Cup at $9 with TAB
New Zealander Lion Tamer rocketed into Melbourne Cup favouritism with a barnstorming victory in the Underwood Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday.
Ridden by Michael Rodd, the 2010 Victoria Derby winner was sent out at $16 and mowed down Adelaide mare Southern Speed ($31) in the straight to score a comfortable 1-1/4 length win with import Midas Touch ($9) a half-neck away third.
Lion Tamer and Saturday's Naturalism Stakes winner December Draw are now equal top picks in the Melbourne Cup at $9 with TAB Sportsbet.
"We're happy with that run. He'd done plenty of work at home and he ran on well at Hastings (when) the 1400 metres was a bit short for him," said respected Kiwi trainer Murray Baker on the 21st anniversary of his 1990 Underwood victory with The Phantom.
"I thought today he's got to show something to be a candidate in the weight-for-age races.
"We've always thought he was a good horse but he missed last autumn and VRC Derby winners have this thing about them so you always wonder if they are going to come back."
Baker will further test Lion Tamer as a Cox Plate contender in the Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 2 when his Derby-winning rider Hugh Bowman will be back aboard.
"We'd like to run him in the Melbourne Cup. His owner Mr Bayley is 88. He ran second with (My) Blue Denim (1980) and he's keen to get it," he said.
Lion Tamer won the Victoria Derby (2500m) by 6-1/2 lengths on a wet track but the Underwood (1800m) victory showed he is just as effective on good ground.
"He's won four from seven on good tracks and was placed in another," Baker said.
The four-year-old was having just his second start since the Derby and ran an encouraging fourth to Mufhasa in the Group One Mafki Challenge Stakes (1400m) on August 27.
"He capped his hock and I couldn't do anything with him for six weeks and it put him out for the autumn," Baker said.
"We got into work at the start of May. He's not a big, heavy topped horse, he's a neat horse. He's an athlete and he's come through it."
Rodd said Lion Tamer could be a bit of a trick in track work and gave credit to jockey Jamie Mott who has been riding him in work at Flemington since the horse arrived in Melbourne.
Trainer Leon Macdonald said Southern Speed was left in front about "a furlong" too soon after being caught wide in the run and she would also be going to the Turnbull for her next start.
Among the disappointments in the race was the now deposed Melbourne Cup favourite Shamrocker who beat one home in the 14-horse field.
Glen Boss said the mare hung out badly throughout.