If the odds are short for the Greg Ryan and Bjorn Baker followers at Bathurst’s TAB meeting on Monday, they’re justified given their phenomenal strike rate at Tyers Park.
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The champion regional rider combines with the Warwick Farm ace on three highly-fancied emerging gallopers, while Chad Lever rides another Baker contender, Garros, on a solid seven-race program.
Since Baker and Ryan joined forces for a spectacular five winners from eight races at Bathurst last November the winners have been constant, including several trebles at the popular circuit.
The stable opens with debut filly D’Oro Rain by Medaglia d’Oro, well-schooled with five barrier trails into a Watermart 3YO Maiden Handicap (1108 metres).
She resumed winning a Rosehill Gardens trial impressively three weeks ago, and then followed up with a second in a Royal Randwick hit-out.
“She’s come back a bigger, stronger and more mature filly – trialled up nicely and is well forward,” Baker Racing manager Jack Bruce enthused.
“A country maiden is an ideal starting point.”
Consistent Tony’s Reward, a dual acceptor, contests a Harvest Benchmark 58 Handicap (1200m) with a hefty impost.
“While 62.5 kg is always a task, he’s got the size and frame to carry it and he’s super consistent for us. Both his wins have been at this track, his run at Goulburn was solid in better grade, so he’ll be highly competitive again,” Bruce said.
Ryan completes the Baker commitments on promising Baaed in an Oak Creek Retirement Village Maiden Plate (1208m).
“He’s always shown us plenty of ability and while he appeared disappointing when we thought he could win on debut at Hawkesbury, there were excuses,” Bruce said.
“He was hit by a couple of clogs in running and was put off balance. He’s progressed and from barrier one, Greg will give him every chance.”
D’Oro Rain will be pitted against former Towac Park trainer and 2017 Golden Slipper champions Gary Portelli in the first, he has Compactor running.
Orange-Bendigo trainer Brian Gentle also has a chance in that race with My Nice Tush, while a handful of other Towac-based runners have accepted too.
Lee Van Den Bos has My Cat Saved Me running in the third, with Michael Plummer’s Snappy Diamond lining up there too.
The latter has Stately Boy in the fourth as well, while Gentle’s Sodality will line up in the fifth.
Alison Smith’s Panuara will jump from barrier one in the sixth, while last-start winner Arctic Warrior is set to run in the seventh.