Bjorn Baker is set to make one of the biggest ever Magic Millions day assaults
Bjorn Baker is set to confirm his rating as an elite trainer with one of the biggest ever assaults on Magic Millions day at the Gold Coast.
The Sydney trainer will saddle Winning Rupert (Gold Coast Guineas), Goodfella (Magic Millions Classic), Egyptian Symbol (Magic Millions fillies and mares), Dot Painting (Millions Maiden ), Credit Card Miss (Country Cup), and Off The Rails (Magic Millions Cup).
If bookmakers are near the mark all his runners on Saturday have strong chances and could reap as much as $5 million prize money.
Baker-trained horses have already won $900,000 in prize money and bonus payments this Queensland summer but there could be much more to come.
Leading the way has been Winning Rupert who has picked up $256,000 and a $500,000 bonus for his three wins this summer.
Winning Rupert will start odds-on favourite in the Magic Millions Guineas which has a first prize of $1.2 million.
Baker couldn’t keep the smile off his face after Winning Rupert drew barrier six.
“Winning Rupert has settled in very well in Queensland and he has even surprised me with the way he has been racing,” Baker said.
“He had a good gallop on Friday morning and then a decent gallop on Tuesday without trying to run time.”
“I couldn’t be happier with the barrier draw which should give him every chance.”
Baker won the 2014 Magic Millions Two-Year-Old Classic with Unencumbered and has a genuine hope with Goodfella.
A lot of work has gone into Goodfella who could be slow to jump in his races but showed a strong finishing burst to win at Canterbury and then finish second in the Group Three B J McLachlan Stakes.
“He will probably start from barrier ten which I think is about the right barrier for him,” Baker said.
“As we know he has been a bit slow (to jump) at times but he should be out of trouble and sit mid-field or maybe a bit back.”
Baker said he adopted a similar path with Goodfella to Unencumbered, bringing him to Queensland early.
He believes Goodfella would probably be better at a bigger track and over more ground but he is hoping for a fast early pace.
Egyptian Symbol won the Wyong Magic Millions fillies and mares race at her last start and was an unlucky third in last year’s Magic Millions Guineas.
Dot Painting is a Caulfield placegetter who has had two trials leading into the Millions Maiden while Credit Card Miss has had a solid lead-up to the Country Cup.
Off The Rails was a Doomben winner in March and has been placed at his only run back before the Magic Millions Cup.
