Group III ATC Gimcrack Stakes winner Shiki was an odds on favourite for her return at Randwick on Saturday, but the speedy filly wilted in the heat with a furlong to run after opening up a big lead on the turn.
With 100m to run, the Bjorn Baker trained colt Warwoven challenged Shiki and she capitulated quickly with the son of Sword of State powering clear to win the 1000m scamper by two lengths for Rachel King.
Shiki faded to fourth with Norman’s Cay (Too Darn Hot (GB) and Hardanger (Pinatubo (IRE) both passing her to fill the placings.
Bjorn Baker looks to have a strong hand for the upcoming Magic Millions 2YO Classic on January 17 having also produced Extreme Choice colt Paradoxium to win the Magic Millions Wyong 2YO Classic.
Baker has won the big Gold Coast juvenile feature twice previously with Unencumbered and in 2025 with O’ Ole, so knows what is required to succeed.
“There is a great bunch of owners in this horse and it’s very exciting. It's what it's about. You’re going to Magic Millions in a few weeks, and he's got a ticket now. He's got his way in, and he's a lovely looking horse,” said Baker, who had reservations coming into this race.
“I thought it might be a big ask. He only had the one trial, so I was questioning whether he was quite fit enough, and whether the 1000m might have been too sharp for him, so we are absolutely thrilled.
“He is another great purchase by Jim Clarke. He's just finding the right horses and making my job and my team's job so easy, so it’s definitely exciting going forward.”
Rachel King was impressed with Warwoven and is looking forward to sticking with the talented colt.
“He doesn't really know what he's doing and he didn't feel like he got to top gear today,” said King, who will partner the colt at the Gold Coast before heading to Japan for a riding stint.
“He's just been a beautiful horse the whole way through, although a bit on the dopier side sometimes, but he really switched on today as I thought he would after that trial.
“He pinged out the gates a lot better today and put himself in a beautiful spot. He's just so willing. He's got that fantastic attitude and whatever you ask him, he's just happy to do it.”
A $380,000 Magic Millions purchase from Kia Ora for Ridgmont/Bjorn Baker Racing/S & J Gosling /Clarke Bloodstock Pty Ltd, Warwoven runs for an ownership group that includes Ridgmont in whose colours he runs with Kia Ora also retaining an interest.
Bred by Kia Ora Stud, he is the first foal of Group II winner Needle and Thread, who comes from an elite European female family packed with quality stayers, so this guy has a real mix of Aussie speed and stamina on the page.
His first four dams all won up to at least 2000m and three of the four are stakes-winners which tells you Warwoven is not short on class or stamina and will not have any problem with the 1200m of the Magic Millions 2YO Classic!
The second foal of Needle and Thread is a colt by Farnan that was sold by Kia Ora as a weanling earlier this year for $65,000 and he will be offered at Inglis Premier by Blue Gum Farm as Lot 671.
Purchased by Kia Ora Stud online through Gavelhouse from the Valachi Downs Dispersal for $410,000, Needle and Thread produced a filly by Farnan for Kia Ora this spring.
Warwoven is the second winner for Cambridge Stud’s first season sire Sword of State, a Group I winning Champion NZ 2YO by Snitzel that was purchased out of Magic Millions back in 2020 from Newgate Farm for $600,000.
Already the sire of Australian stakes-winner Torture, Sword of State has just two yearlings for Magic Millions in 2026 with the motherlode of his second crop of yearlings to be offered at Karaka with 25 catalogued for K1.
