The rollercoaster ride of racing has been playing out for popular trainer Bjorn Baker in recent weeks with his glamour colt Paradoxium ruled out of the Magic Millions 2YO Classic due to illness, but stepping up to fill the void has been Sword of State colt Warwoven.
An impressive debut winner at Randwick on December 20 over 1000m, Warwoven stepped out at Eagle Farm on Saturday over 1200m and gave Rachel King an easy steer to power clear an easy winner.
Sent out favourite, he settled off the pace and when angled into clear running set sail for home with a neat change of gear that carried him more than three lengths ahead of the Waterhouse Bott runner Lumbini.
With two wins from two starts and $143,500 in the bank, Warwoven will go to the Magic Millions 2YO Classic in two weeks time as favourite ahead of the Chris and Corey Munce trained Hellbent colt Zip Lock, who is also undefeated.
"It's always great to win and it's not so much about today, it's more about having a good hitout for two weeks in terms of getting to the Magic Millions," said a delighted Baker.
"One thing he did do well today, which I was very happy with, he paraded beautifully and he was lovely and relaxed."
Baker has won the Magic Millions 2YO Classic previously with Unencumbered and O’ Ole, so knows what is required.
"I think the one thing when I've been lucky enough to win the Magic Millions twice before is that the horses have had great attitudes and he's definitely got that," Baker said.
"It just carries you so far, particularly in a high-pressure race and a high-pressure time of the year.
"It's pretty special. We'd love to get there, so we’ll try and hold him together for another two weeks.”
Rachel King is yet to taste defeat on Warwoven, riding him in both of his race day wins and his first trial.
"He's just a superstar horse," she said.
"He's been like that since day one – his first start he was the same when he executed perfectly.
"He's got the right attitude for it, nothing worries him.
"So far we haven't found anything that does bother him and I don't think anything will.
"He's just got that good horse attitude and the class to go with it."
Warwoven had to wait in the barriers today for another runner to load and patience is now another trait added to his skill set.
"He had to stand in the gates for a long time today which wasn't good for him – not because he's naughty or anything but he just goes to sleep in there," King said.
"He's so quiet. I had to get him to move his feet a touch before the gates opened.
"All these experiences are helping him and he's getting better every start. Today he didn't get out of second gear."
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 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.
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 last spring and was then covered by him again.
Warwoven looks a future stakes-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 also sired the quinella in the 2YO race at Te Aroha in New Zealand on Saturday with State the Obvious and Imperial Rose fighting out the finish.
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.
