Music Magnate (NZ) Scores Baker First Australian Group One

A season that has gone from strength to strength just got even better for ex-pat kiwi trainer Bjorn Baker when he produced Karaka graduate Music Magnate (NZ) (Written Tycoon) to win the A$750,000 Group 1 Doomben 10,000 (1350m) on the weekend.

Baker has had a fantastic season, training more than a hundred winners, but a Group One has eluded the son of legendary kiwi trainer Murray Baker, until now. 

“A Group One – it’s just great,” he said.

“This horse has had a few problems but I always had the winter in mind and we deliberately gave him an easy autumn.”

The race was run at a frantic pace, with Paul King firing across the front aboard Two Blue (Dubleo), only to have Zac Purton kick up along the inside, unable to restrain the favourite Fell Swoop (Not A Single Doubt).

As all this was happening, Kerrin McEvoy settled Music Magnate fifth one out trailing the hot speed with the second-favourite Azkadellia (NZ) (Shinko King) settling last for Mark Zahra.

Although Fell Swoop managed to kick into the straight he was soon running on empty and Music Magnate stormed clear to beat a fast finishing Azkadellia by three-quarters of a length, clocking a time of 1:17.77 for the 1350 metres.

“Bjorn said to me before the start, it’s going to be a game of chess on horseback,” McEvoy said.

“It was that. I didn’t expect them to go that quick. I got a bit of a prat after they’d gone fifty metres, was squeezed up and had to come back.

“But then I got into a nice rhythm. I knew they were going quick and I knew my horse would be strong late. Bjorn had him cherry ripe for today.”

A son of the Danehill Dancer mare Concert Girl, Music Magnate was offered at NZB’s 2013 Select Sale by Westbury Stud, where he was purchased by Baker for $45,000.

Music Magnate has now won six of his 12 starts and A$825,125 in prize-money.

McEvoy indicated he was confident of retaining the mount aboard Music Magnate in the $A1.5 million Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm in a fortnight.

UBet Fixed Odds slashed Music Magnate’s Stradbroke quote from $13 to $8 whilst Azkadellia retains favouritism at $4.40.  – NZ Racing Desk, racenet.com.au & AAP TURF