Bjorn Baker is never afraid to challenge convention, and he’ll do just that by sending his three-year-old filly Within The Law into the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes at Randwick against some of the country’s best weight-for-age horses.
Facing older stars such as Mr Brightside, Fangirl, Pride Of Jenni and last year’s winner Ceolwulf, Within The Law will get her first major test outside her age group when she contests the 1600m feature. Baker said the race’s placement on the calendar and her light weight of just 48kg made the opportunity too tempting to pass up.
“It’s something that hasn’t been tried, in recent times anyway, a three-year-old filly up against the older horses,” Baker said.
“It works out with timing.
“She was a good second in the Flight Stakes which was a relatively slowly run race. It looks to be a truly run race on Saturday.
“Then we have the option whether we go down to Melbourne two weeks later or we back her up in the Spring Champion (Stakes).
“She is in great order and she’s very genuine. It’s a tough ask but you’ve got to be in it to win it.”
Lightweight jockey Rachel King will ride Within The Law, while stablemate Pericles will again team up with Josh Parr after a Tramway Stakes (1400m) victory and an eye-catching third in the Epsom Handicap (1600m).
“I was lucky enough to get a readymade horse off Godolphin and he’s been very straightforward,” Baker said.
“He was very good in the Tramway when he won first-up and he was excellent in the Epsom Handicap when he’d had four weeks between runs.
“The two weeks now into the King Charles, he is perfectly set up.”
Baker will saddle 16 runners across the Randwick card, the largest team of his career, reflecting the growing depth of his stable.
“I’m Sydney centric and we focus on Sydney,” Baker said. “A lot of what we have been doing has been built around this day.”
He also holds strong hopes for Perfumist, who tackles the Angst Stakes in peak condition.
“I’ve got Perfumist in the Angst Stakes and she’s in great order. She often takes a while to work into form but once she is in form she holds it,” he said.
“She is probably the best of the day.”
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