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By Ray Hickson

They say barriers win races and when it comes to Stefi Magnetica’s chances in Saturday’s $10 million James Squire Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill her trainer Bjorn Baker is happy to take any advantage he can get.

Trainer Bjorn Baker (Pic: Steve Hart)

From a small sample size, of five editions, no horse has won the Golden Eagle from outside barrier 10.

The Stradbroke Handicap winner had a small win in Baker’s eyes when she drew gate four and he feels that puts his mare right in the game.

“I guess you can only worry about things that are within our control, and often you can overanalyse gates, but around Rosehill with 20 runners it has a big say in terms of our chances,’’ Baker said.

“She jumped really well in the Everest, so from gate four she should be able to take good advantage, I’d like to see her midfield or in front of midfield. Hopefully one off.

“Zac (Lloyd) is good at putting these sorts of horses in their comfort zone.

“If she can get into a nice spot she has got a good turn of foot, and if she can produce that she’s right in the race.”

Stefi Magnetica, $10 with TAB on Friday, finished ninth in the TAB Everest at her second run this spring and was beaten 2-1/4 lengths on the back of sprinting so well fresh to be narrowly beaten in The Shorts first-up.

The competitive streak in Baker meant his initial response was to be disappointed she wasn’t in the Everest finish but in the context of a Golden Eagle, up to 1500m, he says there was some merit.

“I think she ran okay in the Everest, obviously you want to compete and at the time I was disappointed,’’ he said.

“Having a good look at it, it was a tricky race and had they gone along quicker it may have suited her. I think she was good through the line.

“So I thought she ran well without getting the right run to be in the finish.

“You want to be at the pointy end, but in saying that it’s the best sprint race in the world and she was only beaten two or three lengths.

“Going up to a trip that probably suits her better we’ve got to have a bit of confidence from that alone.”

Of course 10 per cent of prizemoney from the Golden Eagle goes to charity and Baker said “it’s great to give something back to the community” and hopes to provide his charity partner Sporting Chance Cancer Foundation a hefty donation.

Meanwhile, Baker is expecting stakes placed mare Infatuation to be a major player first-up in the Toyota Forklifts Handicap (1100m).

The four-year-old was a winner at Rosehill in February and hasn’t raced since finishing fourth in the Group 3 Vanity at Flemington.

Stefi Magnetica's last start in the TAB Everest

“She looks well, I thought her two trials have been good and she galloped well on Tuesday,’’ Baker said.

“I would have liked her to draw slightly better but she has got tactical speed.

“I think she is very much a black type filly every day of the week so if that’s the case she should be very competitive.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Golden Eagle meeting at Rosehill