If anybody knows how to put together a campaign to get their horse into The All-Star Mile, it should be former jockey Stephen Baster.
The 14-time Group 1-winning rider is now a real estate agent but is also a part-owner of Kiwi galloper Callsign Mav (NZ) (Atlante), who was among Monday’s 77 nominations for the A$5 million race to be run at Flemington in March.
“I think they leave room for the fastest ones at the end don’t they (wildcards), so I’d prefer that,” he said with a laugh.
“Most of the other owners are mortgage brokers, so they’ll make enough noise too.
“I don’t get too involved, I just like to have a beer and go to the races these days.
“I only own a hair in his tail, but what will be will be.
“I would say it depends on how he trials as to where we go, but 1400-1600 metres is certainly his go.”
Callsign Mav, who was a three-time Group One winner in New Zealand, now calls Australia home after staying with Danny O’Brien after his seventh placing in the Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m).
“It was always the plan to bring him over, John Bary has done a good job with him because he hasn’t got the best confirmation to put it nicely and we didn’t want to bring him until he was ready,” Baster explained.
“He went ok (in the Cox Plate), he might just not have been fast enough.
“He’d never travelled outside New Zealand before, so since he’s had a nice break and I can say he looks fantastic and is loving it at the beach.
“He would be about 3-4 weeks away from a jumpout.”
Trained in New Zealand by John Bary, Callsign Mav won seven of his 19 starts and over NZ$566,000 before tackling the 2021 Cox Plate where he finished seventh behind winner, State Of Rest (Starspangledbanner).
