Bjorn Baker plotting another Perth Group 1 heist with Railway Stakes fancy Belclare
Sydney trainer Bjorn Baker is plotting another Perth raid with a horse who has some similarities to WA dominator Overpass.
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Bjorn Baker is the fly-in, fly-out king of Perth and the Sydney trainer is conjuring a Group 1 heist on Saturday with a horse who reminds him in some ways of a stablemate galloper who has dominated the west.
Sydney trainer Baker knows what it takes to be a West Australian wizard, having won last year’s Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes with Overpass and also twice won rich slot race The Quokka with the same horse.
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Grand sprint campaigner Overpass will be aiming up at another Winterbottom next Saturday but, first things first, Baker loves the chances of former Kiwi mare Belclare in Saturday’s Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot.
Belclare has been sensationally backed on TAB fixed odds, being $7 on Wednesday and then in the next 24 hours being crunched into $4.20 equal favourite with Light Infantry Man.
While Baker said there is no secret sauce to winning in Perth, it helps to have a tough and fit frontrunning type who does their best work on firm tracks.
In that way, Overpass and Belclare are two peas in a pod.
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“I’ve had a lot of luck with Overpass who is older and tougher and likes to be up front and Belclare is probably a bit the same,” Baker told Racenet.
“She is an older, more mature and tougher mare who has come from New Zealand and has already done a fair bit of travelling.
“Both horses appreciate a good track and both horses are up on speed and the Ascot circuit probably suits them in that respect.
“Both these horses do it the hard way, they are both travelling with a really good fitness base and so we don’t have to do too much with them when they get to Perth.
“My horses always stay with Simon Miller in Perth too and that’s part of it, the horses are going to someone we are very familiar with and has great systems in place.”
Belclare, who has reeled off consecutive frontrunning wins in the $2m The Invitation and the Group 2 Hot Danish Stakes in Sydney, has drawn barrier 14 and gets the services of elite jockey Nash Rawiller.
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“This race was always an option for this mare, but the way she has gone in her last couple of races has probably given us the confidence to send her over west,” Baker said.
“It’s not cheap sending horses over to Perth so when you travel, you are at the very least wanting to be thinking you are going to be very competitive.
“This mare has won two Group 1s over 1600m in New Zealand so this should be an good distance for her.
“She has got plenty of speed and a very high cruising speed.
“Nash will do his homework, we are lucky to have him on.
“He rides frontrunners particularly well, he will be able to sort of out and we have plenty of confidence in him and the horse.”
Next Saturday, Overpass is the $2.50 favourite to claim consecutive Winterbottoms.
Originally published as Bjorn Baker plotting another Perth Group 1 heist with Railway Stakes fancy Belclare
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