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By Ray Hickson

A ratings bump courtesy of a stakes win at Randwick on Saturday would suit trainer Bjorn Baker’s plans for Raikkonen to be a Golden Eagle contender this spring.

Trainer Bjorn Baker (Pic: Bradley Photos).

The problem is, the three-year-old was left as fifth emergency for the Listed $200,000 Racing For Good Civic Stakes (1400m) and a couple of days out from the race still in need of two more scratchings to make the field.

If he doesn’t sneak in then Baker will have to fall back on the Traffic Warden @ Darley Handicap (1400m) and a lesser ratings bump if he’s successful there with 61kg and a wider gate.

“I do think he’s top class and I’m normally loathe to pick up benchmark points in a big hurry,’’ Baker said.

“But with Raikkonen he’s an extremely promising horse and from a much better gate in the Civic Stakes, if he happened to get in, we would definitely have a look at it.

“If we did get into the Civic and happened to win that he’d go up significantly and he wouldn’t be far off getting into the Golden Eagle.

“It’s a huge ask but he’s promising and if we knew he was going to get into (the Eagle) or go close we’d definitely target it. Either way I think there are some good races for him.”

Raikkonen, $3.30 with TAB in race 8 and $5.50 in the Civic on Thursday, scored an easy first-up win over King Of Roseau at Gosford on June 10.

Baker then elected to target the Group 3 Fred Best Classic (1350m), and chase a Stradbroke berth, but a wide barrier and wide run brought him undone and he wound up was a gallant fourth behind Spicy Martini.

“It was a massive run in Queensland no doubt about it,’’ Baker said.

“I must say I thought it was a phenomenal effort. He is a horse of considerable promise and in the (Civic) there is a fair bit of speed there.

"He can handle that, and in the other race he hasn't drawn as well. But no races in Sydney are easy.”

The $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) is run on November 1 at Rosehill.

Stablemate Iknowastar has top weight in the Civic and if he bounced back to his best to win with 60kg he’d equal the weight carrying record set back in 1975.

The five-year-old failed to beat a runner home when he resumed in the BRC Sprint but he’s collected another runaway barrier trial win since then and Baker said he can never be discounted.

“He’s got to carry a fair bit of weight but he has got a great win record and it seems to be the tougher the race and faster they go the better he can go,’’ he said.

“He’s drawn out so he will be able to roll forward at his own speed. He’s trialled well and he’s been galloping well.”

Baker, currently sitting on 83 city wins for the season, is looking forward to giving Hollywood Hero another shot beyond a mile in the Living Turf Handicap (1800m) after he hit the line strongly from well off the pace two weeks ago.

The gelding was beaten four lengths by Loch Eagle but Baker said his effort to run sixth after turning near last was full of merit.

“I think up to 1800m suits and 12 is a good gate for him because he’ll be able to get back and when he makes his run he has a good turn of foot and just needs clear air,’’ he said.

“Overall the race sets up pretty well for him and he’s a really good chance.”

Raikkonen runs fourth at Doomben on June 4

Bjorn Baker on Miss Kim Kar (race 5): “The race shape probably played against her last time, they went very slow and it turned into a sprint home. She gets 3kg off and no doubt it’s a race with a fair bit of depth but after that slowly run race last time she’s better off sticking at the mile. She goes in a very good chance.”

On Stallone (race 5): “He’s not out of it, first-up he was excellent but last time I’m still scratching my head about. I think he’s better than that. So we elected to bring him to a mile on a slightly better track. He galloped smoothly on Tuesday and off that work he’s got to be some hope.”

On Battleton (race 10): “First-up we didn’t want to go to Canterbury but it was the only race for him. The better the track the better his chance, it’s a tough race but he’s going better than the market would suggest.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Randwick meeting