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By Ray Hickson

There’ll be no questions left unanswered when in-form gelding Iknowastar looks to extend his winning run and score his most important win in Tuesday’s $3 million Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick.

Trainer Bjorn Baker (Pic: Bradley Photos).

The Bjorn Baker-trained four-year-old holds the key to the Country Cups showcase being the designated leader and he’s shown in his four start winning run this season that he takes no prisoners.

And Baker said that’s the way he sees Iknowastar will have his best chance of scoring a big pay day for his connections.

“He’s won eight of his last 10 and has a good gate,’’ Baker said.

“He gets into the race well at the weights with 53kg. He’s broken track records, he’s a horse that likes to go out and dominate and that’s what we will be trying to do.”

Iknowastar assumed favouritism on Monday at $4.80 with TAB and since his record breaking Dubbo Cup win, to gain his eligibility, he’s posted successive Kensington wins with the latest also in record time under 61kg.

The improving track conditions encourage Baker as he’s not won on worse than a soft 5 but he feels that could be misleading anyway given the form the horse is in.

“I’m not sure about a little cut in the track. He raced on a wet track predominantly when he wasn’t going as well,’’ he said.

“But his work on Friday was excellent and he’s a big chance.”

Baker managed to qualify four horses for the Big Dance with Murwillumbah Cup winner Wategos, Coonamble Cup winner Hollywood Hero and Wild Card runner-up Highlights each earning their spots.

The Warwick Farm trainer, fresh from a Group 1 win with Ozzmosis last weekend, says there’s not a lot between Iknowastar and Wategos among his quartet.

The latter was beaten three lengths in the Five Diamonds Prelude (1500m) just over two weeks ago and it was a forgive run according to Baker.

“He’s coming out of the best form races,’’ he said of Wategos.

“Last time it worked against him, he had a wide gate and had to do a lot of work to get up there.

“His work on Friday was outstanding and he’s ready to run a really good mile. He goes in a good chance.”

Bjorn Baker on Highlights: “He’s got a good gate and should be able to get a soft run which he needed. If the track was a little on the damp side he’d come into it a little bit more.”

On Hollywood Hero: “He’s the one horse I wasn’t too worried if he drew ordinary because he’s going to get back a long way and finish off.”

Meanwhile, Iowna Merc will start one of the shortest priced favourites on the day when he resumes in the James Squire Handicap (1000m).

The gelding, $1.70 with TAB on Monday, won his first two starts last time in but unusually slow starts brought about his demise in two subsequent runs as a well supported favourite.

Iknowastar wins at Kensington on October 18

A sign of how well he’s returned can be seen in his defeat of stablemate Malkovich in a 900m trial and Baker is taking 3kg off his back by booking apprentice Anna Roper.

“He’s going really well, he’s a horse that’s shown us a lot of ability,’’ Baker said.

“He’s a natural athlete and a litte bit of cut in the track won’t hurt him.

“Anna has ridden him once before and I think it looks a good race for him. It’s a bit of an awkward gate for him but I’d like to think he is definitely stakes class.”

All the fields, form and replays for the Big Dance meeting at Randwick on Tuesday