Bjorn Baker chasing third Group 1 success in as many weeks in All Aged Stakes and Champagne Stakes
Bjorn Baker has belief Within The Law can handle a sharp rise in distance in the Champagne Stakes as the trainer aims to make it three straight weeks of Group 1 wins.
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Trainer Bjorn Baker sees Saturday’s Group 1 $1m Champagne Stakes (1600m) as a risk worth taking with gun filly Within The Law.
Baker is hoping to make it three consecutive Group 1-winning weekend’s with Belclare also contesting the Group 1 $1.5m All Aged Stakes (1400m) for the trainer.
He has taken an unconventional approach to getting Within The Law to her second Group 1 attempt this campaign at Royal Randwick.
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The daughter of Lucky Vega is on the seven-day back-up after finishing third in last Saturday’s Group 2 Percy Sykes Stakes and jumps from 1200m to a mile.
“It is a little bit of a risk there is no doubt about it but she’s bright and well,” Baker said.
“She has got a big base with three runs at 1200m if we count the Golden Slipper.
“She is a lovely relaxed filly so that gives us a bit of confidence she will be good at the mile and she has a pedigree that may help her being out of a Dundeel mare.
“We have been happy with her this week.”
Within The Law has already enjoyed a stellar juvenile season with her Group 2 Sweet Embrace Stakes victory one of three wins in six starts.
Her Golden Slipper bid ended in heartbreak after she cannoned through the running rail and tossed jockey Jason Collett.
• Ray and Duff: All Aged tip ‘should be closer in the market’
A solid performance in the Percy Sykes encouraged Baker to have a throw at the stumps in the Champagne, the final leg of Sydney’s two-year-old Triple Crown.
“She is bringing some good formlines to the race being a Group 2 winner and placed last week,” Baker said.
“I guess you are only two once and it gives us an opportunity of a big Group 1 that you have to be in to win but under no illusions that it’s a tough ask to go from 1200m to a mile.
“She will go to the paddock after this and we will have a good think what happens next.”
Within The Law ($5.50) links up with Kerrin McEvoy for the first time with Collett set to pilot Buffalo ($6.50).
Baker and syndicator Darby Racing will also combine with former Godolphin galloper Sandpaper.
Sandpaper ($10) has already had a successful first preparation for Baker, winning the Group 3 Newcastle Stakes.
The son of Snitzel drops back in grade in the 4 Pines Pace Setters Benchmark 100 Handicap (1400m) after finishing fifth in the Group 3 Doncaster Prelude last start.
“I think the firmer the track, the better for Sandpaper,” Baker said.
“I think that undid him last time obviously there was a bit of rain during the week that would be a bit of concern but he has had a marvellous preparation.
“He is another horse that seems to be in great order and he seems to have a fitness edge on some of his rivals.
“He will roll forward and put himself in the first three or four comfortably enough.”
• ‘Even better over 1400m’: Ominous warning for Briasa rivals
Baker said Kiwi talent Belclare is more than capable of causing a boilover in the Group 1 $1.5m All Aged Stakes (1400m) if she can reproduce her spring heroics.
Baker concedes Belclare will need to be at her very best but has seen first-hand what the Group 1-winning mare can do when she’s on song.
Belclare had four starts for Baker in a lucrative spring campaign that saw her win both the Group 2 Invitation and Group 2 Hot Danish Stakes over the 1400m at Randwick and Rosehill Gardens respectively.
She campaigned back in New Zealand to start the year without success but has returned to Baker’s Warwick Farm yard for a crack at the All Aged Stakes.
“We have pretty happy with Belclare since she came back to Australia,” Baker said.
“She trialled pretty well and her gallop this Tuesday and last Thursday was good too.
“There is no doubt she is going to have to jump up to her absolute best form to be competitive but I am hoping that if she can run up to what she did in the spring in The Invitation and Hot Danish that maybe if she gets a bit of luck she is not completely out of it.
“I am mindful it’s a very tough race.”
Belcare is a $26 outsider for the All Aged Stakes with Rachel King aboard.
It was only last weekend that Arapaho went around at close to the same odds with King aboard and dominated to salute in the Group 1 Sydney Cup at the same venue.
Belclare meets a highly-competitive group of rivals in the All Aged Stakes, headlined by impressive TJ Smith Stakes victor Briasa ($3.60 favourite).
Group 1 winners Jimmysstar ($6), Joliestar ($6.50) and Broadsiding ($6.50) add further depth to the sprint feature while defending champion Magic Time ($12) is also in the All Aged Stakes field.
Baker has Group 1 ambitions for returning mare Dame Commander.
The Queensland Oaks prospect is first-up in the Group 3 $250,000 James HB Carr Stakes (1400m).
“Dame Commander has a tough ask 1400m first-up but she did a great job first prep last time in,” Baker said.
“I have got the feeling she will improve off this run then going to a mile.
“She is possibly a Queensland Oaks type of filly but it’s very much one step at a time.
“She has a bit of an awkward gate so we will probably have to ride her conservatively but that’s probably the right thing to do first-up over 1400m.”
Dame Commander is a $26 chance.
Baker will jet to Perth next weekend where star sprinter Overpass will attempt to bring up a winning hat-trick in the $5m Quokka at Ascot.
Overpass is the $2.50 favourite to continue his dominance in the west.
Originally published as Bjorn Baker chasing third Group 1 success in as many weeks in All Aged Stakes and Champagne Stakes
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