The promising career of Warwick Farm trainer Bjorn Baker can take another step forward if he can saddle up the winner of the $250,000 2013 Inglis Classic (1200m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
Baker will be represented by last start Warwick Farm runner-up Fuerza and Queanbeyan placegetter Awarewolf in the the Inglis Classic which is restricted to horses nominated to the Inglis Race Series that were offered for sale at the 2012 Inglis Sydney Classic Yearling Sales.
Baker is slowly establishing himself as a name to be recognised in the Sydney training ranks with success starting to come more frequently with twenty winners already this season.
“I started from nothing and had 10 winners last season, and on Saturday I had my 20th for this season when Burbero won at Newcastle,” Baker said.
“It has been good, and I’m looking to continue it and get another 20 winners.”
Baker is hoping he can repeat the result that saw him saddle up the quinella when Twilight Royale and Fuerza finshed one two in the $250,000 Inglis Nursery (1000m) at Warwick Farm on December 22.
“Twilight Royale isn’t eligible for the race but I will take two very strong hopes into it,” Baker said.
“Fuerza is the form horse going to Rosehill on what he did on debut in the Nursery. I will also have Awarewolf in the race, which won a Rosehill trial last week.”
Baker expects Fuerza to take improvement from his first up Warwick Farm second and has added blinkers to the Snippetson two year old to further enhance his chances.
“He is a very relaxed horse, so I’m going to put the blinkers on him,” Baker said.
Awarewolf will also be wearing the blinkers at Rosehill after running off the track when second over 900m at Queanbeyan on December 23 with Baker convinced his waywardness had cost him the race.
“He has had the two starts. He didn’t do that much at Kembla on debut but should have won at Queanbeyan when run off the track. He went to the trials and won since and is learning all the time. He could be a smoky, and I have the blinkers on him as well,” Baker said.
Baker went off on his own eighteen months ago after training in partnership in New Zealand with his father, Murray, and has been associated the Derby winners Nom Du Jeu and Lion Tamer as well as spending time in England with trainer John Oxx and American trainer Christophe Clement.
“It was time to come and try to be my own boss,” Baker said.
“I still have a lot of contact with dad but I’m out here by myself, making mistakes and learning from them. Fortunately, I have had a lot of support and I can go to sales and try and find the right horses.”
Baker understands the tough task ahead to be competitive in the cut throat Sydney racing scene but is hoping with hard work and perseverance he can realise his dream.
“Sydney is a very competitive place to train, and if you don’t get it right, you’re not going to have success. I just want to keep going the way I’m going. I have 35 horses in the stables, which is a long way from where I started, and there are couple more nice ones there.”
