Baker's best can only get better at the Gardens
It has been a year of personal bests for trainer Bjorn Baker, but he wants to set a mark that will challenge him for years to come.
In his 10th season of training in his own name, Baker chalked up 50 wins in Sydney for the term when Baanone scored at Canterbury on Wednesday before Straight Torque made it 120 overall wins for the season at Gosford on Thursday.
Soldier Of Love will look to continue Bjorn Baker's best season and make it a hat-trick of wins at Rosehill on Saturday.Credit:AAP
‘‘My previous best was 38 in Sydney and 121 wins for a year, so this is my best season,’’ Baker said.
‘‘We have a good team in at the moment, so hopefully we can get a few more in the next couple of months. I want to keep getting better. I have more wins than dad [the legendary Murray] this time around because of COVID-19, which is encouraging. They aren’t racing there [in New Zealand] at the moment, so I keep ringing him and asking how many winners he has had this week, but I have reminders that he has better horses than me.’’
Baker was on Thursday ferrying the trophies won in the autumn by Murray’s stayer Quick Thinker to his house across the Tasman.
‘‘We haven’t been able to send the Tulloch Stakes or Australian Derby trophies over to New Zealand, so I will take a photo of them and send it to him,’’ Baker said. ‘‘They are races I’m still dreaming about winning, but I’m getting my share of winners, but it can always be better.’’
Baker has made a habit of keeping a horse on a winning roll when he gets them there with Soldier of Love the latest example. He looks for a hat-trick of wins at Rosehill tomorrow without much fanfare.
‘‘He is not flashy but very effective,’’ Baker said. ‘‘He is a horse that makes his own luck and is very hard to beat. He has just found another level this preparation and even though he has the outside gate of 18 on the weekend, they will have to beat him because he is always in for the fight.’’
Along with Miss Einstein, Soldier Of Love is the punters’ pick of the Baker squad heading to Rosehill, while Dark Jewel winner Irithea is the favourite for the Dane Ripper Stakes in Brisbane. The eight-time winner had a barrier trial at Warwick Farm last week to be ready for the group 2 test in Brisbane.
‘‘That was just to keep her up to the mark. She is very good with that break between runs and I was very happy to see her drawn the inside,’’ Baker said.
‘‘She will get the right run and it would be a great way to cap off the year to win another feature race. The thing about this year has been we have won a group 1, but our horses have been consistent once they find form and that’s what I pride myself on.’’
Miss Einstein has been consistent this preparation without winning but has placings behind Soldier Of Love and Opacity.
‘‘I think she is a much better horse than you have seen so far,’’ Baker said of Miss Einstein, who has won three of her 10 starts. ‘‘She is a mare that still has her best in front of her and I feel she is ready to show that on Saturday.’’
Baker suggested that Night Of Power, who returns in the last at Rosehill, might be one to watch going into the winter.
‘‘James McDonald trialled him and sticks with him, which is a good sight. He has come back a much stronger horse,’’ Baker said. ‘‘It is always tough on a heavy track first-up but I think he is a horse that can have a strong winter for us.’’