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Bjorn Baker's triumph with Ozzmosis

7 October 2024 Written by VRC

The Melbourne Cup Carnival is a stage where legends are born, and in 2023, Ozzmosis stole the spotlight with his unforgettable victory in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m). Trained by Bjorn Baker, Ozzmosis’ win became a career-changing moment for him.

The Coolmore Stud Stakes is renowned for testing speed and endurance and Bjorn Baker was confident about Ozzmosis’s ability to shine in the race, considering his performance at Warwick Farm leading into the race.

Jockey Rachel King and Ozzmosis broke cleanly from the gates and settled into stride, comfortably taking the lead. As the race unfolded, it was clear that the horse was enjoying the challenge, accelerating away from his rivals. By the time they reached the clock tower, Ozzmosis had built a solid lead, crossing the finish line 1 1⁄4 lengths clear of his nearest competitor, I Am Unstoppable.

“It was a very special day, and to win a stallion-making race like the Coolmore was phenomenal,” Baker said.

For Baker, a former pharmacist, this win was more than a career milestone; it was a proud moment connecting to his father, Murray Baker. Murray had an extremely successful training career, highlighted by The Phantom’s fourth place in the 1989 Melbourne Cup and second place to Kingston Rule in 1990.

“I knew I was going to get involved [in racing] in some way or another and my father was a trainer, so it’s probably logical,” said Baker.

Winners Ozzmosis and Rachel King, who became the first female jockey to win the Coolmore Stud Stakes

Reflecting on his own win, Baker shared his appreciation for the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

“The Melbourne Carnival is really something different, it’s worldwide, everyone knows and I think as much as anything of the team and myself, we’ve had a lot of luck and we’ve had a lot of great results, but this is probably different. It’s a really important race to win. I think it gives a lot of people confidence that we can produce these colts on the big day.”

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