Bjorn Baker singing the praises of Randwick debutante Songlike
BJORN Baker doesn’t often line up his debutantes in group two races, but circumstances has landed Songlike in Saturday’s Sweet Embrace Stakes at Randwick.
The Your Song filly was scheduled to run midweek at Rosehill in the race won impressively by Limbo Soul, but after being balloted out, Baker elected to throw his filly in the deep end.
“Songlike was second emergency for that race, so we decided to wait rather than see if she would get a run on Wednesday. It might be a good thing we did, because the winner looked very good,” Baker said.
“If she got beaten in a maiden it would have taken away some of my confidence.”
Songlike is currently $5.50 for the Sweet Embrace Stakes and after some pleasing trial efforts, Baker is confident he has the right horse for the occasion.
“We have a filly that has impressed us at both her trials and there is good and bad things about jumping in at the deep end,” Baker said.
“We are going to find out very quickly where she stands and at this time of year that means she could put herself into the bigger races.”
Baker will target the Golden Slipper if Songlike is successful in Saturday’s race.
“If she wins she is in the Slipper, but you are always worried about overestimating her ability,” he said.
Songlike was beaten by star filly She Will Reign in a barrier trial by nine lengths, but it was able to finish second with the third horse finishing a further six lengths back.
“It’s not often you get beaten by nine lengths in a barrier trial and come away happy, and think ‘I have a nice horse’,” Baker said. “She had six (lengths) on the rest of them and what impressed me was she was holding her own on She Will Reign in the straight.
“It was really like she won the trial because the other filly was so far in front she was in a different postcode. She came out and won her next trial, which just confirmed what I thought.”
All things going well Baker will set Songlike for a race during The Championships at Randwick in April.
“I really think she is a good filly but I’m breaking a few rules with her on Saturday. It is mainly due to there being no other options with her,” Baker said.
“I think she is going to be competitive across the carnival and a race like the Percy Skyes at The Championships is something we have in mind.”