Bjorn Baker’s in-form Warwick Farm stable will be further bolstered with the arrival of a lightly-raced two-year-old who is set to follow a proven path to the Victoria Derby.
Baker revealed his trainer father Murray would send Ellerslie maiden winner Dundeel across the Tasman to replicate a Derby campaign that brought success with the ill-fated Lion Tamer in 2010.
Lion Tamer started his run to the Derby with a first-up Australian win in the Ming Dynasty Quality and Dundeel is heading the same way.
“He missed a trial in New Zealand and he could have one trial here before running in the Ming Dynasty,” Baker said.
Lion Tamer came from near last to beat Praecido in the Listed Ming Dynasty over 1400m en-route to beating the same horse in the Victoria Derby at Flemington.
His career ended prematurely when he was injured in last year’s Cox Plate and had to be put down.
“Dad’s got a pretty good opinion of Dundeel and unfortunately for me, the horse will be staying in his name,” Baker said.
Dundeel made his only raceday appearance in a 1200m two-year-old maiden at Ellerslie in April before he was turned out for a spell.
“He is by High Chaparral out of a Zabeel mare so we’ve got high hopes for him as a stayer,” Baker said.
The $100,000 Ming Dynasty Quality carries Listed status and will be run at Warwick Farm on September 8.
Baker trained his first double in his own right when Havana Rey and Mr Tipsy scored at Warwick Farm on Saturday.
“In terms of my own career it’s pretty special,” he said.
“And to do it at Warwick Farm makes it even better because I believe it is the best training facility in Australasia.
“It’s a beautiful track to train racehorses.”
Baker has 20 horses in work at the south western Sydney racetrack but he is keen to expand on the back of his end-of-season success which has been almost 12 months in the making.
“I’m definitely on the lookout for more horses to build on this,” he said.
