Racing: Romantic rendezvous takes second place for Gesemi

A trip across the Tasman for a romantic rendezvous might yet spawn racetrack spoils for Cambridge mare Gesemi.

Raced by the families of long-time Murray Baker stable clients Alistair Lawrence and John Rattray, Ekraar five-year-old mare Gesemi will tackle today's group three Tattersall's Cup (2200m) at Eagle Farm.

Baker and co-trainer Andrew Forsman have pencilled in a start in the Caloundra Cup (2400m) at the Sunshine Coast on July 2 should she race well this weekend.

However, Gesemi's winter campaign is not her primary reason for the trip.

"She's probably going to stud in Australia and it makes sense to send her now with these couple of races that suit. Hopefully she can pay her expenses," Baker said.

Gesemi flew to Australia on Sunday and has pleased the stable in the lead-up to the Tatt's Cup but Baker admitted he didn't know how she would measure up.

"She doesn't do the really heavy tracks we've got back home at the moment and this a $200,000 race with just seven runners so we think it's well worth a shot.

"I don't really know how she'll go, to be honest. But she ran a good third at Te Rapa in the Travis Stakes at group two level on a better track. She's run fourth in the Rotorua Cup and third in the Cornwall since, but the tracks were just too heavy for her.

"It's a slow track over there at the moment but a slow 7 in Australia isn't like a slow 7 at home."

Gesemi, who again races in blinkers today, has won six of her 24 starts. Among her rivals are the Adrian and Harry Bull-trained last-start Brisbane Cup winner Benzini and former Kiwi galloper Brave Ali.

Closer to home, the Baker-Forsman stable will produce the trio of San Miguel, Shot In The Dark and Del Rios at Tauranga today.

Baker said Shot In The Dark had missed some work because of a hoof abscess after his last-start second to subsequent winner Koenigsegg One, but he was over that issue and was well up to winning the three-year-old event.