Trainer Bjorn Baker would love to get lightly raced filly Arriving Home into the Magic Millions Guineas next month after the three-year-old remained unbeaten with a tough win at Randwick.
Stepping up from a midweek city maiden win at Warwick Farm on debut earlier this month into Saturday’s Petaluma Handicap (1300m) – a benchmark-72 for three-year-olds – Arriving Home ($11) was able to get the job done again in a close finish to defeat stablemate Midnight Dynamite by a head.
The John O’Shea and Tom Charlton-trained Getafix, who is also nominated for the 2025 Magic Millions Guineas, finished a close up third in his return from a let-up.
“She’s a Magic Millions filly,” Baker said of Arriving Home.
“I’m not sure if she’s going to make the three-year-old race, but we’d obviously love to get in.
“If she got in we’d definitely go.”
The $3 million Magic Millions 3YO Guineas (1400m) is at the Gold Coast on January 11.
Arriving Home was bought for $550,000 as a yearling and Baker said the filly, who races in the same colours as Stradbroke Handicap-winning stablemate Stefi Magnetica, had done a great job so far to start off her career with two wins.
“It was a really game win and she’s doing a super job,” Baker said.
“She was an expensive yearling so there’s always a bit of pressure and you want to perform, but the owners have been very good, loyal clients to me and I thought she was very good today.
“She’s still learning and doing one or two things wrong, but it was a good win.
“She got a lovely run and it was a great ride by Kerrin Mcevoy.”
Baker, however, said there were also a little mixed emotions as Arriving Home narrowly defeated stablemate Midnight Dynamite.
“He had to do a lot more work and he was very game,” Baker said.
McEvoy was also aboard Arriving Home in the filly’s maiden win and the jockey was pleased to see the three-year-old take another step up.
“She’s a work in progress but she’s a lovely filly,” McEvoy said.
“She won in a bunched finish at Warwick Farm but I just liked the way she did it. I liked the way she knuckled down and the feel she gave me.
“She’s proven us right there today. She’s gone to Saturday grade and she still did a little bit wrong but she was able to get the job done.”
