Bjorn Baker didn’t get the timing of his tipping right, but he got the timing of his horse spot-on as Belclare raced to her first Australian win in the $2 million The Invitation.
A dual group 1 performer in New Zealand, the mare had disappointed in two local runs but Baker’s decision to take the blinkers off for Saturday’s 1400m feature at Randwick proved decisive.
“First two starts I tipped her to the world, so third time lucky and everyone jumped off,” Baker said.
“I’m very lucky to get this mare. She’s a double Group One winner in New Zealand.
“It has been a bit of a learning curve, but we got it right today. And this is the day that we wanted to get it right, so very, very grateful.”
Belclare had over-raced when beaten in the Sheraco (1200m) and Alan Brown Stakes (1400m), prompting Baker to remove her headgear.
Rated beautifully by Tyler Schiller on Saturday, Belclare ($26 with bookmakers) dominated from the front to outpace Magic Time ($3.10 fav) by 1-1/4 lengths with Makarena ($5.50) running boldly for third, another half-length away.
“She is a top-class mare. You’ve only got to look back at some of her wins in New Zealand. She is better right-handed, she is better on the speed and she is better out doing her thing,” Baker said.
“She was able to roll today and we took the blinkers off, which I think was the telltale sign. She had just overdone it those first couple of runs.
“Good horses make even me look smart.”
Schiller concurred that Belclare was much more settled without the shades on and said she showed grit to defy her challengers.
“She was awfully tough in the straight. I thought I was beaten three times when I saw one come up to me, but she just kept kicking,” Schiller said.
“And Bjorn has done a terrific job to turn her round start to start.”
Belclare covered the 1400m in 1:20.74, less than half a second outside the track record held by Trapeze Artist, and Magic Time’s jockey Nash Rawiller said that made it difficult for the favourite.
“The times they have run home in made it hard to make ground, but she found the line really well. She is top class,” Rawiller said.
Baker made it a race-to-race feature double when Iknowastar clung on to hold out the fast-finishing Territory Express in the Five Diamonds Prelude (1500m).
