Tough gelding Iknowastar delivered trainer Bjorn Baker a second Randwick feature and booked his place in the $2m Five Diamonds
Just 45 minutes after Belclare won the $2m The Invitation, trainer Bjorn Baker was at it again as Iknowastar led all-the-way in the $1m Five Diamonds Prelude at Randwick.
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Trainer Bjorn Baker cleaned up with a multimillion-dollar feature race double at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Iknowastar capped a memorable afternoon for Baker when he led all the way in the Listed $1 million Five Diamonds Prelude (1500m).
This win came just 45 minutes after stablemate Belclare also made all to win the Group 2 $2 million The Invitation (1400m).
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Baker revealed Iknowastar was also “sacked” by the stable before turning his form around last year.
“He’s been a revelation,” Baker said. He had three hooves and his tail out of the door. We were about to sack him.
“Since then he’s just turned it around completely, he’s been a great horse, he’s an exciting horse. He puts the punch into races.”
Iknowastar ($8.50), ridden by Rachel King, only just held off the luckless, fast-finishing Territory Express ($4.20) to score by a short half head with Freedom Rally ($16) three-quarters-of-a-length away third.
Yellow Brick ($2.70 favourite) looked to have his chance before finishing fourth.
Back-to-back features for @BBakerRacing! ðð
â SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 26, 2024
A @Rachelk11 special aboard Iknowastar sees the consistent galloper take the Five Diamonds Prelude at Randwick ðð pic.twitter.com/wahyXhOnuQ
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King, who is riding in the US Breeders Cup next week, said Iknowastar knows only one way to race – and that’s dominating from the front.
“I don’t have much choice, he just does what he wants, that’s him,” King said.
“I let him be in control as that’s when he’s happiest. He’s just so tough. He’s ‘Mr Consistent’, he doesn’t know how to run a bad race.”
Baker said there are “two million reasons” why he should give Iknowastar his chance to stretch his speed out to 1800m for the $2 million Five Diamonds at Rosehill in two weeks.
“He’s got a really big engine,” Baker said. “Sometimes you learn as you go along with horses.
“We have to give him his chance in the Five Diamonds. My wife, Andrea, actually lost her wedding ring and I might have to get her another with a few diamonds.”
Originally published as Tough gelding Iknowastar delivered trainer Bjorn Baker a second Randwick feature and booked his place in the $2m Five Diamonds