Racing: No doubts left - he's the real deal

It's A Dundeel will go down as the first winner of the revamped Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick on Saturday. He defeated Sacred Falls (outer) and Carlton House. Photo / Getty Images

In a masterly display of horsemanship, Murray Baker guides It's A Dundeel to his most significant victory.

A big decision is about to be made around It's A Dundeel. Well, two actually.

Whether Saturday's A$4 million QEII winner will tackle a European campaign and, if so, who will train him.

When trainer Murray Baker flew home out of Sydney at midday yesterday, he had not heard anything on either front.

A decision, essentially around Arrowfield Stud principal John Messara, will be made tomorrow morning.

Royal Ascot's racing manager Nick Smith dined with Messara on Friday night, but no indication of the future of the A$10 million stallion beyond Saturday's race was forthcoming.

It would be a big call to give It's A Dundeel to someone else to prepare, virtually eliminating all the knowledge Murray Baker has on a horse that has been no day at the beach to train.

This is not just a case of a trainer doing a pretty good job with an exceptional horse.

Since just before the Cox Plate last spring, Baker has had to cope with ongoing issues with It's A Dundeel's feet. To win Saturday's rich race Baker had to ensure he was on top of those issues, but also cope with the difficult part - dropping It's A Dundeel back from 2400m to 2000m in 14 days.

At the elite level that is no easy task ... Silent Achiever appeared as though she might have struggled with it on Saturday.

In those 14 days It's a Dundeel was taken to the track just four times. "We took him to the parks, worked him on the polo grounds, we did all the things we could to keep him fresh - keep his mind and body fresh."

Baker, aiming for a remarkable 14th Australian group one, did a magnificent job to the point where It's A Dundeel became excited and flipped himself over in the tie-up stalls in the hour leading up to the race.

That goes beyond just being a 'Phew" moment.

Evidenced by the pricing on the stallion - $6 into $3.40 - there was plenty of confidence in the camp.

"James McDonald came out to Warwick Farm to gallop him on Tuesday morning and said it's the best he'd felt since his 3-year-old racing.

"We knew then we had him where we wanted him. I'd said all along we were half a race behind in each of his races this campaign, mainly because of his feet and his gallop on Tuesday morning showed we'd finally caught up with that."

Baker ensured there were no risks taken with the dodgy feet by insisting It's A Dundeel's racing plates were left intact for the two weeks between the BMW and Saturday's race.

Little more has to be achieved on the racetrack for It's A Dundeel to be extremely popular at stud - six group ones can do that for you - but there must be huge temptations to keep him going for another year.

"I believe the horse is just coming into his own," said Baker.

"He's by High Chaparral from a Zabeel mare, so his best form should be ahead of him."

Understandably Baker loves the horse. And who wouldn't love a horse who has contested 11 straight group one races.

"He's a lovely animal. He's not overly big, but he oozes class. And he's fast."

It will be a major disappointment if Murray Baker is not on the end of the lead rope if and when It's A Dundeel walks off the aircraft in England.