Bjorn Baker doesn't want to miss his chance to be at Eagle Farm on Saturday to defend his Stradbroke crown.
Bjorn Baker was 16,000km away when he won the Stradbroke Handicap last year.
But he won't miss his chance to be at Eagle Farm on Saturday as he vies to become the first trainer to win back-to-back Stradbroke Handicap crowns in 15 years.
The high-flying Sydney trainer was in England last year for the wedding of jockey Rachel King when $16 chance Stefi Magnetica crossed the line first, with Zac Lloyd onboard.
King would have almost certainly had jagged the ride if she wasn't tying the knot but in a sliding-doors moment, Lloyd grabbed the unexpected opportunity to score his maiden Group 1 victory.
This year, Baker will pin his hopes on five-year-old gelding Robusto, with three-time Melbourne Cup winning jockey Kerrin McEvoy to ride the $26 shot.
'No doubt we're going to need some luck from the wide gate (barrier 18) but it's one of those time-honoured races,' said Baker, who can become the first trainer to successfully defend a Stradbroke title since Con Karakatsanis in 2010 with Black Piranha.
'You come back as the defending champion and it's pretty amazing.
'One thing last year, when I won the Brisbane Cup and the Straddie on the same day I was actually in the UK so it'll be nice to be on track to win a big race like that.'
Robusto will go into the Stradbroke first up, having not raced since being runner-up to Waterford in the $500,000 The Lakes (1600m) at Wyong on January 11, but neither Baker or McEvoy are concerned.
'He's had two good trials and a gallop between races so I don't think I could have him much fitter first up,' Baker said about the Group 2 The Ingham (1600m) winner from last December at Randwick.
'Look, he's been a great addition to the stable for (syndicators) Darby Racing and we're very grateful to have him.'
Darby bought Robusto for $160,000 on Inglis Digital in September after he had delivered six wins and eight placings from 29 starts for Sydney's premier trainer Chris Waller.
In seven starts for his new stable, Robusto has earned $1.6m in prizemoney, with the bulk of that haul coming from his victory in The Ingham.
McEvoy said he was quietly confident about his Stradbroke chances, with Robusto carrying a lightweight 52.5kg and being 'a fresh horse on the scene'.
'I think Bjorn has him primed to run at a really high level,' he said.
'He's had a fair few trials and I rode him in a race-course gallop at Warwick Farm and he performed well.
'I think with 52.5kg on his back he's in with a shout for sure in what looks to be a really open race.
'Bjorn has got this horse going to a new level since he got him. He's really gone gangbusters and he looks in good condition.
'I don't mind the fact that he's a fresh horse on the scene. Whether he's good enough, we'll find out but it'd be nice to have a good run in transit and give the horse every chance.'
Baker said he was still pinching himself about his 'unbelievable' golden run in which he will chase his fourth Group 1 of the season in Saturday's Stradbroke.
'A couple of things I really wanted to do this year is win one of the majors in The Championships in Sydney and I was lucky enough to win two (the Doncaster Mile with Stefi Magnetica and the Sydney Cup with Arapaho).
'I guess winning the Magic Millions (with O' Ole in January) is very special so it's been a remarkable season.
'I'm very lucky I've got some nice horses, a great team around me and some really good clients.'
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