The decision to split top colts Warwoven and Paradoxium has paid the ultimate dividend with both scoring brilliant wins in their respective assignments to give trainer Bjorn Baker a two-state stakes race double.
A couple of hours after Paradoxium showed sustained speed to claim the Group 3 Poseidon Stakes (1100m) at Flemington, Warwoven outmuscled his Group 2 Run To The Rose (1200m) rivals at Rosehill to stamp his Golden Rose credentials.
The colt went back from a wide draw when fifth to Golden Slipper winner Guest House first-up in the San Domenico Stakes (1100m), but from a better barrier on Saturday, Rachel King positioned him on speed and the three-year-old refused to be run down once he struck the front.
“He’s such a good colt. He’s come back bigger and stronger,” Baker’s racing manager, Luke Hilton said.
“Bjorn gave him a really good base into that first-up run, but just the tricky gate, he gave him some time, let him find his feet early on and he really let go late.
“I said to him yesterday, ‘do you think we put him forward today?’ And he said, ‘yep, put him forward. He’s ready.’ It worked out well. Great ride Rach, and he’s a quality colt.”
Warwoven firmed from $11 into $6 for the Golden Rose (1400m) and Hilton confirmed the Group 1 race was in their sights.
It will mean another clash with Guest House, who had Warwoven’s measure in the San Domenico Stakes (1100m), and while Hilton says the Golden Rose favourite will be tough to overcome, he believes the barrier draw will be crucial.
“It’s hard after seeing what he did a couple of weeks ago,” Hilton said of Guest House.
“I think it will come down to gates. One thing we know about our horse is he’s bombproof. He can go forward, he can take a sit. He’s got a few things in his armour he can use. He’ll give him a good run for his money, and it’ll be a good race in a couple of weeks.”
Warwoven ($8) dug deep in the straight to hold out the previously unbeaten St Gotthard ($2.60 fav) by a neck with Under Focus ($6) doing a good job after being tardy at the start, another 1-1/4 lengths away third.
King said the winner’s versatility would take him a long way, and expected him to take further improvement from Saturday’s run.
“He leaves you a bit speechless. His acceleration today was unbelievable,” King said.
“He just shows his versatility. First-up we knew it wasn’t grand final day, and he was always going to improve with the run.
“Today, he was straight on the ‘bunny’, relaxed beautifully. He was so mature for a young, relatively inexperienced colt.”
Paradoxium will be kept to shorter sprints and is likely to return to Sydney for the Roman Consul Stakes (1200m) on October 10 before heading back to Melbourne for the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington.
