From the trainer JANUARY 2016 I can t believe another year has passed... either I am getting busier or older, probably a combination of the two. There were numerous highlights in 2015 and the find of the year was undoubtedly Burbero who won two Group 2 races, the Ajax Stakes in the Autumn and the Missile Stakes in the Spring. Other notable performances include Candelara who won the Adrian Knox prior to a brave third in the ATC Oaks. The biggest positive is the continual improvement in the stable operations, staff and facilities which has helped produce a healthier, faster and better prepared horse on raceday. We are constantly improving and willing to travel far and wide to win. Our stable is currently 7th in the metropolitan table and always looking to improve. The year ahead will be exciting and very busy. The yearling sales series will be as hectic as ever however I am very happy with the horses purchased at the Magic Millions Yearling Sale. I purchased in conjunction with Stuart Boman from Blandford Bloodstock, buying well in a very competitive market. There are numerous sales coming up with New Zealand Bloodstock on this week, Inglis Classic in early February, Inglis Melbourne in early March and of course Inglis Easter in April. This is where the competition starts. I am confident that we will buy many good horses this year to place us a step ahead of the game. The recent announcement of the increase in NSW stake money is hugely exciting and will make longer travel viable to place horses to win, within prizemoney very lucrative in country areas. There has never been a better time to race a horse. Good luck in 2016 and hopefully it can be a great year for all. BURBERO, DUAL GROUP 2 WINNER IN 2015 Ready for 2016! BJORN BAKER RACING 1
2015 Roll of Honour Crosley Hotshot wins at Randwick Melbourne Cup Day Lady Sniper takes out the Inglis Sprint at Randwick Sabrina wins on 21st November at Rosehill Zatopaz wins three races in 2015 2 all newsletter images supplied by Bradley s Photography
To Be Sure wins at Canterbury Fabulosity salutes at Nowra A win for Choix de Roses at Orange Selita makes it four wins in a row 3 wins & 3 placings for Egyptian Symbol Music Magnate salutes at Randwick The Diamond Fever crew celebrate at Kembla Grange Candelara dashes away to win the Group 3 Adrian Knox BJORN BAKER RACING 3
The Magic Three YEARLING PURCHASES Three yearlings were purchased by Bjorn Baker Racing at the recent Magic Millions Sales. These yearlings will be eligible for the $10million Magic Millions Raceday- a huge incentive to invest in a Magic Millions yearling. Please contact Jack on 0427 088 008 if you wish to enquire on these yearlings. UNENCUMBERED Our favourite Magic Millions moment: Unencumbered s emphatic win in the 2014 Magic Millions 2YO Classic with Nathan Berry aboard 4
L ot 19 CASINO PRINCE X AMBITIOUS PRINCESS COLT A quality colt whose appearance throws more to his maternal grandsire SAVABEEL. He is an athletic and correct colt that moves with a long stride. He has plenty of scope and will develop into a lovely three-year-old Classic type. STUART BOMAN, BLANDFORD BLOODSTOCK CASINO PRINCE is a hugely underrated stallion whose progeny improve with age. His 11 stakes winners are headed by the multiple Gr 1 winner ALL TOO HARD. He has also sired the highly consistent Gr 1 performers HOOKED, LONGPORT and STAR ROLLING. CASINO PRINCE has enjoyed a great start to the 2015/16 season siring five stakes winners already, placing him seventh on the Leading Sires bf Australia Table by Stakes Winners ahead of commercial stallions MEDAGLIA D ORO (3), SEBRING (2), I AM INVINCIBLE (1) and SNITZEL (0). Our research before Magic Millions determined CASINO PRINCE was a good value stallion; outperforming the market perception of him. This colt is the second foal of AMBITIOUS PRINCESS, a winning sister to Gloaming Stakes (Gr 3) winner and Australian Guineas (Gr 1) runner up STRIKE THE STARS and last seasons South Australian Derby (Gr 1) third BEST CASE. When trained by Anthony Cummings 3YO AMBITIOUS PRINCESS finished an unlucky eighth in the 2010 Queensland Oaks (Gr 1), possessing plenty of ability. AMBITIOUS PRINCESS is the third foal from New Zealand One Thousand Guineas (Gr 1) runner up AMBITIOUS, a daughter of the good maternal influence LAST TYCOON. His third dam is the Gr 3 winner and Gr 1 placed STARCENT a sister to the blue hen mare PROFESSIONELLE dam of PRISIONER OF LOVE, SPORTSMAN, HOYSTAR and KING OF PRUSSIA. GET INVOLVED Contact Racing Manager Jack Bruce for more information: Email: jack@bakerracing.com.au Phone: 0427 088 008 BJORN BAKER RACING 5
L ot 157 WRITTEN TYCOON X DEXCELLENT COLT An attractive dark day / brown colt with a good head by the sire of CAPITALIST. He is a late October foal who will need time to develop but is a lovely athletic colt with a deep girth that will make a nice three-year-old miler. STUART BOMAN, BLANDFORD BLOODSTOCK WRITTEN TYCOON won on debut at two then took out the Todman Slipper (Gr 2) at only his third start, beating DOMESDAY. As a 3YO, WRITTEN TYCOON finished second to MEDIA in the San Domenico Stakes (Gr 3), beating SNIZTEL (3rd). WRITTEN TYCOON was the leading First Season Sire in 2010/2011. His best progeny to date include Caulfield Sprint (Gr 2) winner HOWMUCHDOYOULOVEME and Danehill Stakes (Gr 2) winner RICH ENUFF. He is the sire of CAPITALIST recent winner of the Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m). WRITTEN TYCOON and his sire IGELSIA (who is out of MARSCAY mare YODELLS) work well with mares that have a strain of MARSCAY - this colt is inbred to the successful sire. TYCOON TARA (Gr 3W), DANGER CLOSE (LW), LEBRECHAUN (Listed Wnr) and WRITE CHEEK (LPl) all successful examples of this inbreeding. A winner over 1400 metres, DEXCELLENT a full-sister to SIR DEX, winner of the Warwick Stakes (Gr 2) and Prime Minister s Cup (Gr 2), 2nd in the QTC Sires Produce Stakes (Gr 1) at two. This is the immediate family of Epsom Handicap (Gr 1) and Flight Stakes (Gr 1) winner SECRET ADMIRER. Very similar in appearance and temperament to Bjorn s highly promising MUSIC MAGNATE, himself a fourtime city winner from only nine starts. Bjorn purchased this colt primarily due to the similarities between the two. An attractive athletic colt who will continue to improve as a 3YO. GET INVOLVED Contact Racing Manager Jack Bruce for more information: Email: jack@bakerracing.com.au Phone: 0427 088 008 6 BJORN BAKER RACING
L ot 727 PIERRO X WITH LOVE COLT A top class colt that has a great forearm and deep girth. He is currently going through a growing phase but will level out in the coming months - he may have been better placed at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale where he would have potentially made more money. Built like a sprinter with great depth and muscle tone. STUART BOMAN, BLANDFORD BLOODSTOCK PIERRO is a five-time Group One winning son of successful sire LONHRO. A winner on debut in the Breeders Plate (Listed), PIERRO went on to win the Silver Slipper Stakes (Gr 2) and the Todman Stakes (Gr 2) before taking out the Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr 1). PIERRO went on to win the Triple Crown (Golden Slipper, Sires Produce S. and the Champagne S.). PIERRO was the most expensive first season sire of his generation standing for a fee of $88,000 in his first season at Coolmore Stud. His yearlings were particularly well received by the market at the recent Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale where the average price for his progeny was $262,568. A winner at two over 1000 metres, this colt is the seventh foal from the Favorite Trick mare WITH LOVE. The mare is a half-sister to the dam of Levin Stakes (Listed) winner CELERIS. This colts second dam is the top class two-year-old LOVING CUP winner of the Maribyrnong Trial Stakes (Listed) and third in the Golden Slipper Stakes. WITH LOVE has produced four foals to race all who are winners including Hoss Amor who won the BRC Lancaster Stakes (Listed), the Queensland Tatt s Mercedes Benz Stakes and the Listed BRC Hampden Stakes. HOSS AMOR also finished second in the Moonee Valley Champagne Stakes (Gr 3) and the BRC Doomben Slipper (Listed). GET INVOLVED Contact Racing Manager Jack Bruce for more information: Email: jack@bakerracing.com.au Phone: 0427 088 008 BJORN BAKER RACING 7
Introducing BLANDFORD BLOODSTOCK Assisting Bjorn during the yearling sale season is the UK-based bloodstock agent Stuart Boman. A native of Australia, Stuart now lives in Newmarket where he works with Blandford Bloodstock, a leading bloodstock agency that was established by Joss Collins and Tom Goff in 2001. Blandford Bloodstock, recognised as one of the most successful bloodstock agencies in the world, has selected in excess of 150 stakes winners worldwide and successful Group One-winning graduates include Irish Derby winner Jack Hobbs, Dream Ahead and Excelebration. Bjorn s association with Stuart and Blandford Bloodstock goes back about four years indeed the first sale that they worked together resulted in the purchase of Unencumbered at the 2013 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. Stuart assisted Bjorn during the 2015 yearling season and this year he will attend all major yearling sales and will assist in the inspections and selection process. Stuart first started in the industry as Gai Waterhouse s first sales runner in the year that she was granted her license. After six years with Gai he joined with John and Gary Moore aiding in the selection and management of yearlings prior to exportation to Hong Kong or Macau. A qualified solicitor, Stuart returned to the racing industry full time when he was accepted on the inaugural Darley Flying Start course. Since then he worked with Arrowfield as their racing manager before returning to Europe as Darley s European head of marketing. He joined Blandford Bloodstock in 2009 and since then has purchased the Gr1 winners Excelebration, Euro Charline and Crackerjack King. I very much enjoy the opportunity to work with Bjorn at the sales. We have a great working relationship and the assistance that I provide allows Bjorn to select the yearlings that will hopefully become the future stars of his stable, Stuart said. We have already had some luck together in the past and hopefully this will continue. Bjorn added: The experience and knowledge that Stuart brings to the team is a big asset. He has a great eye for a horse and his professionalism will provide my stable clients access to a world quality service. Bjorn's Best follow on twitter @bbakerracing current strike rate: 14 runners 7 winners horses to follow: Gold Ambition Lady Sniper To Be Sure 8