A long-range plan is on target in a bid to reward Bjorn Baker with the first Group One winner of his solo career on his homecoming next week.
Now successfully plying his trade at Warwick Farm, Baker enjoyed outstanding success when in partnership at Cambridge with his father Murray and he is now chasing top-flight honours in his own right.
Appropriately, Baker’s confirmed tilt at the Group 1 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup at Ellerslie on March 5 will rest with a New Zealand-bred stayer, who was purchased from Esker Lodge’s 2011 Ready to Run Sale draft at Karaka for $130,000.
Booked to fly out of Sydney on Saturday, Celtic Prince is a son of O’Reilly and a four-year-old brother to the multiple Sydney winner and Group 1 Randwick Guineas runner-up Said Com.
“Bjorn is certainly looking forward to getting back over there and it would be a great result for him to get his first Group One in his own name,” Baker’s racing manager James Clarke said. “He’s really looking forward to the challenge.”
Celtic Prince has won five races, including two over 2400 metres, and his Auckland Cup bid was confirmed after his most recent second at Randwick following encouragement from his rider James McDonald.
“The trip’s been in the back of Bjorn’s mind for a while and after his last run James was pretty confident he would run the two miles (3200m) and that was the final clincher,” Clarke said.
“The horse has had a great preparation, trouble-free, and his work’s been very good. On paper it’s perhaps not the strongest Auckland Cup field and we think he’s in with a live chance.”
Currently the $6 second favourite, Celtic Prince will be ridden at Ellerslie by the Sydney-based Group One jockey Brenton Avdulla, who has won three races on the gelding.
“Brenton’s had success with him and he gets along with the horse really well,” Clarke said.
– NZ Racing Desk
