Effortless victory for Warwoven in Sydney

SYDNEY – Warwoven was so good at his maiden Group 1 success that trainer Bjorn Baker started mentioning The Everest, Caulfield Guineas and Cox Plate as possible targets for the brilliant three-year-old.

It says everything about Warwoven’s versatility that Baker was considering races across such a varying distance range, although the son of Sword Of State cannot contest all three Group 1 events.

But his runaway win in the A$1 million (S$897,000) Golden Rose (1,400m) at Rosehill Gardens on Sept 26 was so exceptional that his New Zealand-born Australian conditioner can afford to dream big.

“A lot of form analysts out there, you are allowed your own opinion, that is what makes our game so great,” said Baker.

“But I thought this colt was right in it. I didn’t want to look at the odds, I didn’t want to back him, there was too much riding on it.

“He’s a serious horse and we are looking at the Caulfield Guineas (1,600m), even the Cox Plate (2,040m) – team get on now, we will get overs.

“His mother (Needle And Thread) was very good at 2,000m. He relaxed beautifully today but one step at a time.”

But away from the glare of the television cameras and microphones, Baker was a little more circumspect and did not rule out the world’s richest race on turf, The Everest (1,200m).

“I would say The Everest is doubtful but we will see what happens,” he said of the A$20 million Group 1 race.

“When you have a colt this good, you have to consider all the options.”

Baker said he has ridden racing’s rollercoaster of emotions with Warwoven in 2026.

“It is an amazing game, racing,” Baker said. “It is the best game in the world and I don’t say that lightly.

“We were in the hurt locker about Jan 14 when he was scratched from the Magic Millions on the morning of (the race).

“But you don’t panic, you have great people around you, they pick you up and you can be here and win a Group 1 – he’s a stallion now.”

In one of the most dominant wins in the history of the Golden Rose, Warwoven ($25), ridden by Rachel King, streaked away to win by 3¼ lengths from St Gotthard (James McDonald) with Under Focus (Dylan Gibbons) half a head away in third.

Group 1 Golden Slipper (1,200m) winner Guest House (Zac Lloyd) was backed into favouritism but after getting into a bumping duel with St Gotthard mid-race, he could only finish sixth, just behind Tenenbaum (Chad Schofield, fourth) and Tron Bolt (Damian Lane, fifth).

Lloyd said the incident with St Gotthard ended his mount’s winning chances.

“The first half of the race went alright and we got onto the back of Warwoven, which I thought was a good play,” he said.

“Then just when the pace dropped out of the race around the side, he got a bit keen on the heels of Warwoven, then we had a little bump with St Gotthard and it took a bit of ‘gas’ out of him.”

But all honours were with Warwoven, whom King said was in a different race than his rivals in the final 300m of the Golden Rose.

“He was (dominant), he’s very good, and it was just very satisfying for him to go out there and do that today,” she said.

“I thought I’d either be leading or on the leader’s back. It’s difficult when your husband (Bjorn Baker’s racing manager Luke Hilton) gives you part of the instructions, and he says, ‘whatever you do, don’t be three-back the fence’ and I was like, ‘I’m testing him a little bit here’.

“But he’s a very good horse. There was enough tempo on, there was enough pressure. He just put his head down and relaxed and was beautiful in the run.

“We know he’s got an awesome turn of foot, and I was desperate to get him up over this kind of distance and probably even further. He’s proven that he’s the real deal today.”

King completed a stakes race double for the Baker stable after also riding So You Are ($9) to win the Group 3 Colin Stephen Quality Handicap (2,400m).

For Baker, it was a memorable afternoon with a stakes race treble from So You Are and Blue Door’s ($7) Group 3 Heritage Stakes (1,100m) triumph complementing Warwoven’s win in the prestigious Group 1 Golden Rose.

“This is very special,” Baker said.

“I thought he paraded superbly, he’s so good looking, he’s so fast. I don’t even have to sell him, he sold himself.

“So many of my great friends are in this horse and you saw an amazing performance today.

“Rachel King, she’s got ice in her veins. She summed it up so well. All my team back at home, they are amazing to work with and we have fun every day.” SKY RACING WORLD