It might have been an off-season winter meeting in Sydney, but it proved prolific for trainer Bjorn Baker and apprentice Dylan Gibbons with both celebrating significant milestones.
Baker took seven horses to Randwick and five of them won, giving the Warwick Farm-based horseman his first quintet.
Gibbons too had a day to remember, the top junior rider booting home four winners, the first quartet of his burgeoning career.
Trainer and apprentice combined for three of their respective triumphs courtesy of smart two-year-old Ozzmosis ($1.85 fav), up-and-coming gelding Iowna Merc ($3.10) and speedy filly Passeggiata ($1.60 Ladbrokes fav).
Baker’s remaining victories came with tough mare Ita ($11) in the 50 year And Life Member Handicap (1600m) before Lady Of Luxury produced a sweeping run down the outside to claim the TAB Handicap (1300m).
While Baker has regularly trained multiple winners on a program, it was the first time he had produced more than a treble.
“It’s a funny game, when it goes bad, it goes bad and when it works out it can go amazingly well,” Baker said.
“What a great day. I’ve got a lot of good friends here today, a lot of very important owners.
“It’s very, very special and Randwick, it’s the best racecourse in the world.”
Gibbons’ remaining win came aboard the Sara Ryan-trained So Good So Cool in the Midway Handicap (1200m), the 21-year-old delighted with his haul.
He admitted he started to feel the butterflies after landing the first two races, knowing he had odds-on favourite Passeggiata still to come.
“When I won the first two races and knew I had a $1.60 favourite coming up, I thought ‘this might be the day’,” Gibbons said.
“This is my first ‘four’ ever. I’ve never had four on any track.”
Baker has spring carnival aspirations for several of his Randwick winners, including Passeggiata who made it three wins from four starts in the Furphy Handicap (1000m).
Blessed with abundant speed, the filly set up a six-length lead and while she tired late, she had enough in reserve to hold on by a neck over Miss Ostend ($31).
Baker said she was still a work in progress but had the scope to develop and improve.
“We are going to have to work on harnessing that speed, she has so much speed,” he said.
“She is really promising and gets the job done. She isn’t the finished product and she’s not straightforward.
“But a win is a win, you are never going to turn down a win.”
Or a five-timer.
