Shocking Winner for Baker

Media Release - Wednesday July 11

New Zealand-bred galloper Shock Alert recorded his fifth career win when successful over a mile on his home-track on Wednesday and in the process provided Warwick Farm trainer Bjorn Baker with his 100th winner in New South Wales for the season.

ShockingThe Kiwi conditioner has made his presence felt since relocating to Sydney in August 2011 and currently sits sixth on the New South Wales trainers' premiership by wins, trailing powerhouse stables such as Chris Waller, James Cummings, Kris Lees, Peter and Paul Snowden and Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.

Positively ridden by stable apprentice Jean Van Overmeire, Shock Alert staved off the challengers to provide Baker with his second winner for the day and 100thfor the season in his adopted State.

"It's quite fitting that Jean rode him," Baker said. "He's a big part of the team. He's doing a super job and it has been a break-out year for him too.

"I've got a great team of staff back home from top to bottom. It's not easy at this time of the year. There is a lot of hard work and cold mornings, so it is nice for Shock Alert, who has been in the stable for a while, to win that city race."

Advertisement

A son of Rich Hill Stud stallion Shocking, Shock Alert was bought by Baker for NZ$110,000 at the New Zeeland Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale and the four-year-old has won close to A$130,000 to date.

"I thought he was fit and well but his form on wet tracks had been a bit patchy," Baker said. " Back on top of the ground , the key to him has been fine weather this past week.

"I think we will put him up in trip even further, up to 2000m, and he has definitely got a few more wins left, so he has been a good horse."

It is the third season in succession that Baker has trained a century of winners in New South Wales, with the effervescent horseman having prepared 102 winners nationally this season and prizemoney earnings in excess of $5.3 million. – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Capitalist 2YO Wins for Doyle
Nathan Doyle and his team would be bubbling with excitement surrounding the return of their unbeaten G1 star Private Harry, but as they say ‘little fish are sweet’ and the stable were in the winner’s circle at Wyong on Tuesday with a two year-old son of Capitalist.
Hong Kong Buyer Secures Top Lot June (Late) Sale at $500,000
The impact of the recent success in Hong Kong of horses sourced on Inglis Digital was in evidence today, with the top lot and the third top lot bought by Hong Kong-based owners.
Positive Build Up to Karaka Weanling Sale
Stars of the future go under the hammer at Karaka on Thursday with New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Weanling Sale set to commence at 10am.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday June 25
Here is the full list of 42 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Nice 2YO Winner for Vinery Value Sire
He might be the least expensive sire on the Vinery roster this spring at a fee of just $6,600, but Headwater gets his share of winners and produced a new two year-old winner at Doomben on Wednesday.
Irish Oaks Possible for Royal Ascot Fairytale Filly
The biggest story in terms of our audience reads from Royal Ascot last week was by far and away the one on the Aussie owned underdog three year-old filly Cercene, who captured the Group I Coronation Stakes.
Storm Boy Retired to Coolmore Australia
An utterly dominant winner of the $3 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic, the hugely exciting son of the international sire sensation Justify is set to join the Coolmore Australia roster in 2025.
Tassort Filly Too Classy at Randwick
Stakes-placed two starts back in the Listed Woodlands Stud Stakes at Scone, talented 2YO Tassort filly Wollzeile proved too classy at Randwick on Wednesday.
New Stakes-Winner for Cup Hero Shocking
Melbourne Cup hero Shocking has been enjoying success this spring with his classy stayer Surprise Baby, who was fifth in the Melbourne Cup, the Rich Hill Stud based sire also producing a new Group III winner in New Zealand on Wednesday.
Can a Cup Winner Sire a Cup Winner?
In the aftermath of lightly-tried stayer Surprise Baby’s victory in the Group III Bart Cummings (2500m) at Flemington on Saturday, a ballot-free exemption race for the Group I  Melbourne Cup (3200m), it was hard not to spare a thought for Rich Hill Stud principal John Thompson.