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By Ray Hickson

It might be the stuff of dreams at the moment but there’s 10 million reasons for the Bjorn Baker stable to give promising gelding Puntin his chance to be a Golden Eagle contender this spring.

Baker’s racing manager Luke Hilton said it's worth having in the back of the mind and a lot will depend on how the rising four-year-old performs in the Asahi Super Dry Handicap (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday and in his following start.

Luke Hilton (Pic: Bradley Photos).

Puntin has won four of his six starts to date and Hilton firmly believes the best is ahead and he’s seen nothing to suggest he’s reached his limit.

“We have to keep an eye on the Golden Eagle,’’ Hilton said.

“He’s got to get that rating up and take a number of steps but for such good prizemoney you’ve got to think of it.

“There’s an 88 mile in two weeks so there’s two races we’ve targeted and we’ll make some plans after that.”

It’s generally held a rating of 90 is a minimum requirement to make the Golden Eagle field and, as he sits on 75, even if he wins his next two starts Puntin will likely fall short but it will prove him worthy.

And, the first three home in the $1 million Silver Eagle (1300m) gain exemption so that could be his way in.

In the meantime, Puntin steps out to the mile on the back of an all the way win over the Rosehill 1400m two weeks ago.

Hilton said his first-up narrow defeat proved he’s not just a front-runner and is adamant he’s improved since that second-up success.

“His work at home in between these two runs has been the best I’ve seen of him,’’ he said.

“We thought he’d be pretty hard to beat there and now we think he’s going to be even harder to beat at the mile.

“His gallop on Tuesday morning was outstanding, he’s an exciting horse stepping through the grades and he’s on an upward trajectory for sure.

“It’s pleasing to see some versatility with him, he’s not an out and out leader. That’s how it happened the other day but he doesn’t need to.”

The blinkers have been added to two-year-old Pillow Fight for the Schweppes Handicap (1400m) and Hilton said if her family is any guide the filly will appreciate the shades.

Pillow Fight won on debut at Canterbury then led before finishing fifth behind Autumn Boy at Listed level in Queensland two weeks ago.

Jockey Rachel King, who rides the filly, used to partner the dam Slumber Party and that mare was a noted blinker horse so Hilton said she should react to them well.

“She’s shown she’s a relaxed filly at home. Rachel rode the mother a lot and she was very similar, didn’t do a lot without the blinkers on so we had it in our mind she may need them,’’ he said.

“She probably turned the race into a bit of a sit and sprint the other day which played against her. We’ll use the fitness on Saturday and hopefully the blinkers make her sharper.”

Of all the horses from the Baker stable engaged at Randwick the longest priced is Battleton ($31) but Hilton is adamant with any luck he can surprise in the TAB Handicap (1400m).

The gelding has beaten one home in both starts this time in and Hilton said the wide draw was a huge knock to his confidence prior to the fields being released.

“He will run the biggest race. I was devastated when he drew 17,’’ he said.

“He’s flying under the radar, he’ll run enormous I just wish he’d drawn better."

Luke Hilton on Stardeel (race 4): “This time he’s mentally taken a while to come around. He got a bee in his bonnet early in his preparation wanting to grab the bridle and run. We’ve had to work with that and that’s why we’ve kept him to the shorter distances. We’re hoping from a good gate Josh can be somewhere in the first few, once we can get him to keep improving mentally and execute correctly we can creep up in distance.”

Puntin wins at Rosehill on June 28

On Regimental Colours (race 4): “She went back first-up, she rolled forward second-up so she is versatile. From that gate we’d look to ride her quiet and let her hit the line.”

On Avone (race 7): “A breeding client of ours bought her to eventually sent her to stud, there’s no plans to have to send her this year but we’ll see what we can do with her. She’s had two lovely trials, she came to us in good order. We’ve taken a bit of gear off her. From a good gate she’ll run well, it’s hard to line up her form but on what we’ve seen she’ll be competitive.”

On Slinky (race 10): “The 1400m is a question mark with her but she gets a lovely gate and an economical run. She’s drawn bad gates in two runs and been really honest, and last start her sectionals backed that up. She’s improved at home and she’s going to be closer than in her first two.”

On Very Sewreel (race 10): “She will go to stud this year, she’s had a couple of nice trials and she’s fit. She rolls forward and makes her own luck and that’s what we’ll be doing.”

On Fairway Star (race 10): “Two runs back have been fantastic off a long layoff. She had to be out of her comfort zone chasing that hot speed a bit but she gets a nice draw, she’s one that needs a bit of a cuddle and if she can get that she can be in the finish.”

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