Reigning Melbourne Cup winning jockey Craig Williams is confident that his potential 2020 Melbourne Cup mount Surprise Baby can put forward a forward showing in Saturday’s Feehan Stakes (1600m).
Speaking to RSN, Williams was asked if it would surprise him if the talented stayer would be able to win first up over the mile on Saturday, the first run of another preparation aimed at the Melbourne Cup.
“Not at all. Not the way that he’s working,” Williams said.
I think he’s [Patrick Payne] got him in a really good position, I don’t think that it’ll be fitness that will get him beaten on Saturday.”
Watch: Surprise Baby take out last year’s Bart Cummings on the way to his Melbourne Cup appearance.
Surprise Baby is off to the Melbourne Cup.
Paul Preusker's 5-year-old turned it on when it mattered to come home strongly in the Bart Cummings. pic.twitter.com/KDLiVdUhX4
— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) October 5, 2019
“He performed really well…he (Paul Preusker) has been very bullish about this horse’s preparation and I’ve had a really good understanding of it going into Saturday’s race. I’m not too sure about clocking him, if anyone clocked him or not, but for me his performance will take a lot of beating on his work this morning in the Feehan.”
Surprise Baby was crunched into $3.50 favouritism for the Feehan Stakes after Williams’ interview, with the lightly raced galloper also the $10 favourite for the Melbourne Cup.
Williams is yet to decide whether he will be riding Surprise Baby, or last year’s winner Vow And Declare in the 2020 Melbourne Cup.
