Warwoven has further bolstered his claim as Australia’s premier colt following a commanding performance in Saturday’s $3 million Group 1 Caulfield Guineas.
The Bjorn Baker-trained galloper confirmed his dominant Golden Rose success was no fluke, overcoming Victoria’s best 1600-metre three-year-olds in his Melbourne debut.
He now joins the ranks of Ole Kirk and The Autumn Sun, both established stallions commanding over $100,000 stud fees in the Hunter Valley, as horses to achieve the Golden Rose/Guineas double since the former achieved Group 1 status in 2009.
While he secured the Golden Rose as the $6.50 third favourite, Warwoven started the Guineas as the $2.40 favourite. Bjorn Baker’s racing manager, Luke Hilton, who represented Baker on-course at Caulfield while Baker remained in Sydney, expressed a sense of relief with the latter victory.
“It is a bit emotional, actually, there was a bit more pressure today,” Hilton stated. “There was more excitement in Sydney, but there was a fair bit of pressure with him today. Bjorn has said for a long time that he could be one of those special horses that don’t come around too often. He’s proving him right so far.”
Warwoven, from the first crop of Kiwi stallion Sword Of State, benefited from an exceptional ride by Rachel King, Hilton’s wife, marking their inaugural Caulfield Guineas victories.
King adopted a forward position from the start but strategically settled Warwoven midfield, one off the fence, after encountering more early pressure than anticipated, initiating her move around 500 metres from the finish line.
Blind Raise ($3.10) launched an early bid in the straight, but Warwoven drew level at the 100-metre mark before powering clear to win by 1-3/4 lengths. Call Me Coach ($15) finished third, 3-1/4 lengths behind the winner.
“He leaves me speechless, this horse – he’s unbelievable,” King exclaimed. “There were a few question marks today; we didn’t know how he’d handle going this way around and Caulfield’s not an easy track to come to first time Melbourne way. But he’s just got so much class and he was still arrogant again. I know a lot of people said, ‘how can he peak again?’, but I don’t think he has peaked. I think there’s still more there.”
Warwoven remains nominated for the $6 million Cox Plate (2040m), a race Baker had indicated as a target for the colt if he performed well in the Guineas. He is now the $5 third favourite for the October 24 event.
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