The highly promising Perfumist brings up a hat-trick with a dominant all-the-way win at Randwick

Progressive filly Perfumist continued her rapid rise through the grades with a commanding performance to lead all-the-way at Randwick.

Perfumist crushed her rivals with an all-the-way win at Randwick. Picture: Getty Images

Trainer Bjorn Baker’s gamble to scratch unbeaten Arriving Home and rely on the improving Perfumist paid off when the latter dominated her rivals at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Perfumist led most of the way to complete a hat-trick of wins in the Captivant At Kia Ora Handicap (1400m).

Baker also paid up for Arriving Home for Randwick but decided to scratch that filly on race morning and reserve her for the $3 million Magic Million Guineas next week.

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“Arriving Home galloped brilliantly at Warwick Farm this morning,” Baker said from the Gold Coast on Saturday.

“We have rolled the dice hoping she will make the field for the Magic Millions.

“But I was confident Perfumist could get the job done for us today. She’s one of the most improved horses in training.”

Perfumist ($3.50 favourite) was ridden by Winona Costin and controlled the race from the front, streaking clear to win by two-and-a-half lengths from Captain Amelia ($6.50) with Lulumon ($5.50) two lengths away third.

Baker said Perfumist had shown promise as a two-year-old but she has gone ahead in “leaps and bounds” this preparation.

Perfumist makes it 3 in-a-row with a great ride from @Costin_Winona! 👌@BBakerRacingpic.twitter.com/MXSl4ubgY8

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) January 4, 2025

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Perfumist resumed racing in October and after three successive losses, she won a Mudgee Class 1 easily. She hasn’t looked back since, adding comfortable wins at Canterbury and Randwick to her record.

“She’s been up a while so we will just see how she pulls up and take it from there,” Baker said. “But she is obviously a promising filly with a lot of upside.”

Perfumist was bred by Gerry Harvey and sold at a Ready to Run Sale in New Zealand last year for $190,000.

The daughter of El Roca is from the same family as 2003 Golden Slipper winner Polar Success and Harvey if offering a Redwood half-brother to Perfumist at the Karaka Yearling Sale later this month.