Puntin delivers the 150th winner for Baker this season

Bjorn Baker is in the midst of his best ever season as a trainer and on Saturday Puntin gave him his 150th winner of the season at Rosehill Gardens.

Puntin (inside) gives Bjorn Baker another winner at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday. Picture: Getty Images

Trainer Bjorn Baker brought up a milestone 150th winner for the season when progressive gelding Puntin showed tremendous fighting qualities to prevail at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

Baker has been enjoying the best season of his training career and reached his new benchmark with a month still to go in the season.

Puntin has contributed to four of those victories throughout the 2024/25 campaign after he burst onto the scene over the summer with three straights at Nowra, Moruya and Warwick Farm.

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The son of Super Seth toughed it out on speed to score his maiden city victory in the Captivant @ Kia Ora Benchmark 72 Handicap (1400m).

“It’s never easy to win on a Saturday and I think there is more in store, he has a great winning record,” Baker said.

“He was tough and it was a good ride.

“I still think the best is yet to come, once we get him up over a bit further.”

Who doesn't love Puntin!

He was tough as nails to win the third at Rosehill 💪@[e-mail]/b9XuEssf7X

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) June 28, 2025

Puntin was only narrowly beaten first-up this preparation at Canterbury and appreciated the step up from 1250m to 1400m.

Jockey Ash Morgan found the front early on and was able to control the tempo of the race.

Puntin ($4.40 ) continued to find over the concluding stages to hold off the Annabel and Rob Archibald-trained Don’t Forget Jack ($3.90) by a short neck with Chris Waller’s Maori Chief ($13) a half neck away in third.

“He had to work a little bit to get there and probably just overdid it a touch,” Baker said.

“I thought it was a good effort. I thought up to 1400m would suit today.”

Bjorn Baker looks on after Ashley Morgan guided Puntin to victory. Picture: Getty Images

Morgan’s decision to go to the front early on held the key to Puntin’s latest success.

“I was open to taking a sit today but they put me into a position where had to grab the bull by the horns a little bit,” Morgan said.

“Lucky when he was there he rested for me really well.

“I felt like I was going to be vulnerable late because of that work in the first furlong but he is an incredibly tough horse with a lovely attitude.

“He kept sticking his head out.”

The victory continued Morgan’s remarkable season, which has included a maiden Group 1, and his third campaign with more than 100 winners.

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Metro century looms for Baker

- Ray Thomas

Trainer Bjorn Baker has a century of city wins in his sights after Thunderlips completed a stable double at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

Thunderlips unleashed his now familiar fast-finishing effort to win the Schweppes Handicap (1500m), complementing the earlier win of stablemate Puntin in the Captivant At Kia Ora Handicap (1400m).

Baker’s brace gives him 86 wins for the season to trail only Chris Waller (134 wins) in the 2024-25 Sydney trainers’ premiership.

With nine metropolitan meetings remaining this season, Baker gives himself an “outside chance” of raising the bat for 100 city wins.

“We are just hanging in there…I’m hoping we can get to 100 but are going to struggle,” Baker said.

“It’s going to be hard to do but the horses are running well and that is all you can do.”

💋 Thunderlips pips Zouatica right on the line to win! Back-to-back wins for him - plus doubles to @BBakerRacing and @JoshuaParr8!@aus_turf_clubpic.twitter.com/z6ZJZcvCQb

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 28, 2025

There has only been five occasions in Sydney racing history when two trainers have passed 100 city wins in the same season and that was during the era when John Hawkes and Gai Waterhouse were the dominant stables two decades ago.

The two Hall of Fame trainers swapped Sydney premiership wins over a 16-year period and their rivalry, albeit friendly, pushed them to new heights.

In 2002-03, they both broke the 150-win barrier with Waterhouse training 156 wins to claim the title from Hawkes on 150.5 wins.

Baker hinted Thunderlips ($3.70) could back-up in the Listed $200,000 Winter Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill next Saturday after he ran down early leader, the very game Zouatica ($51) to win by long heady with Furious ($13) three-quarters of a length away third.

Originally published as Puntin delivers the 150th winner for Baker this season