A trainer who has fired a warning shot through the Sydney training establishment this season showed his Victorian counterparts how it’s done when Twilight Royale took out the state’s richest two-year-old race of the autumn so far.
Bjorn Baker has trained 27 winners from a limited number of runners in his first full season in Sydney – and Twilight Royale has emerged as a team leader.
The filly’s win in Wednesday’s Inglis Premier (1200m) at Mornington came on top of her win in a similar race sponsored by the bloodstock company at Warwick Farm in December.
Twilight Royale has picked up almost $300,000 from the two wins making her one of the season’s top earning two-year-olds.
Baker puts his good form down to luck, but by taking an inexperienced filly interstate to win demonstrates more than good fortune.
“I really have been very lucky,” Baker said.
“I’m training at Warwick Farm which has to be the best training facility I’ve seen anywhere.
“I’ve got some good owners and we’ve come up with some good horses.”
Twilight Royale ($2.20 fav) came from near last, rounding up the field at the 200m and going on to score by 2-1/4 lengths.
The Mick Price-trained Resistant ($3.60) held on for second after racing three-wide outside the lead with his stablemate Lannister ($8) in third.
For jockey Brenton Avdulla the win, one of his biggest on his old home patch, proved a reward for faith and patience.
“I just let her find her feet and kept her out of trouble,” Avdulla said.
“She was the best horse in the race so AI rode her like she was.”
Twilight Royale isn’t expected to figure in any of the major juvenile races of there autumn, Baker suggesting a three-year-old preparation would now be the priority.
While connections were still celebrating the win, the Baker-trained Burbero added to the stable’s fortunes when he won at Canterbury.
