Bjorn Baker has already made a notable impact under Godolphin’s refreshed public training approach, and he is aiming to continue that momentum into summer.
Baker secured Godolphin’s first Group victory under the model when Pericles won the Tramway Stakes (1400m) at Randwick earlier in the spring.
Pericles then finished in the money in the Epsom Handicap (1600m) before being nosed out by Ceolwulf in the Group 1 Champions Stakes (1600m) during Cup week.
Now the focus shifts to three-year-old Loving, who debuts for Baker in Sunday’s Asahi Super Dry Handicap (1200m). While not yet in the same class as Pericles, he showed talent through two victories at Geelong and Newcastle on wet tracks during winter.
He resumes in metropolitan grade following two quiet trials, neither featuring blinkers — an omission that will be corrected for his return.
“He will have blinkers on this weekend, which he hasn’t had in his trials, and he has had them on in all his starts. Hopefully that might give us a little bit more with him,” racing manager Luke Hilton explained.
“His trials have been good. He’s a little bit hard to assess because he is coming out of two-year-old races and now into Sydney Saturday grade.
“He’s got to take that step up from provincial racing, but he’s been good at home, and it seems the right race for him.”
Baker will also be represented by Viktor in the Vinnie @ Yarraman Park Handicap (1500m) and Dame Commander in the Chandon Handicap (1300m).
Dame Commander was Group placed in last year’s Spring Stakes (1600m) at Newcastle but failed to stay during a Queensland Oaks campaign.
“We always thought she’d get to a staying trip and might have been an Oaks filly, but she just didn’t get all the way through,” Hilton said.
“We may keep her a bit shorter and sharper this time in and the mile may max her out.
“She generally needs a run or two. We have thrown her in the deep end most of the time, so we’d like to bring her back in grade a bit and let her win some races hopefully.”
Bettors can find competitive prices for Baker’s runners across Australia’s major betting platforms.
