Fabulous Baker boy takes on Caulfield Guineas

MELBOURNE – Sydney trainer Bjorn Baker has no fear of travelling south to tackle Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1,600m) with his star colt Warwoven at Caulfield on Oct 10.

With a first prize of AU$1.8 million (S$1.6 million) in the A$3 million feature, the three-year-old has dominated pre-race discussions, ahead of the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained Blind Raise, who has won his past two starts.

Warwoven also made it two in a row after winning the Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes (1,400m) at Rosehill on Sept 26 in such dominant fashion that Baker is thinking he might be a once-in-a-lifetime colt.

Baker has worked the son of Australian stallion Sword Of State left-handed to adapt to the Melbourne way of going on what can be a tricky Caulfield circuit.

“He has come through the Golden Rose great,” said Baker. “He has got a great attitude – he is really bombproof.

“He had a nice gallop left-handed on Thursday (Oct 1), it wasn’t about breaking the clock. But he has been very, very good, arguably a once-in-a-lifetime colt.”

Warwoven will again be ridden by Rachel King, who has been in the saddle for all of the colt’s eight races, which have netted five wins.

Young said Blind Raise, who will again be ridden by Blake Shinn in the 11-horse field, had been impressive after winning his past two starts, including the Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1,400m) on Sept 19.

“He did it under a lot of pressure, the pressure came to him and Blake (Shinn) just sat and waited, and then he just really extended and he didn’t even pull the whip on him,” she said.

“He has come through that race excellent. He has got that good turn of foot that he does have and he’ll obviously be very competitive.”

Young got her wish when Blind Raise drew barrier two, and she is confident 1,600m will not be any issue.

Chris Waller, with four runners, and Ciaron Maher with three, again dominate the field. Tron Bolt, who has drawn the extreme outside barrier, is a player and rated Waller’s best chance ahead of Somethings Burnin’, Diameter and Central Europe.

Maher’s Unit Five could show up at good odds, while Tornado Valley has garnered some support after his last-start second to Blind Raise, although by two-and-three-quarter lengths, in the Caulfield Guineas Prelude.

Anthony Freedman, who trains in partnership with his son Sam, will saddle Wolf Gap and Call Me Coach, who both should be competitive.

The other two Group 1 features on Saturday are the Might And Power (2,000m) and the Toorak Handicap (1,600m), both worth A$ 1 million.

While triple Group 1-winning mare Sheza Alibi is expected to be at short odds in the Might And Power, Waller is confident Birdman is a chance to topple Sheza Alibi, especially with two wins and a second from four starts at 2,000m.

“If she (Sheza Alibi) runs to her ratings, we can’t beat her, but over 2,000 metres it gives us a chance and Birdman’s in great form,” said Waller.

“I’m not expecting to beat her easily, or anything like that, but I know our horse runs 2,000 metres and with Sheza Alibi, they’ll be hoping she gets 2,000 metres.

“Birdman is in great form. His win the other day – Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1,800m) at Caulfield on Sept 19 – was good, and he seems to have come on nicely since that.”

Waller said Birdman’s maturity and age had resulted in the six-year-old gelding by Free Eagle producing consistent form at the highest level.

The Might And Power is carded as Race 13 on the Singapore Australia race card and will be run at 12.50pm (Singapore time) on Oct 10. The Caulfield Guineas is carded as Race 15 and will be run at 1.30pm while the Toorak Handicap will go to post as Race 17 at 2.10pm. HKJC