But Baker conceded there were times he was doubting his decision to relocate from New Zealand and establish his training business at Warwick Farm in southwestern Sydney.
“I had only two slow horses and I didn’t have any owners or stables, so I was putting everything on the line,” Baker said.
“There’s no doubt it would have been easier to stay in New Zealand but I gambled everything coming to Sydney.
“That was 14 years ago and I don’t hide from the fact it is the best decision I have ever made.”
Baker now has more than 100 horses in work at his Warwick Farm stables, he’s trained nearly 1400 winners, he’s second on the Sydney trainer’s premiership behind the all-powerful Chris Waller and his horses regularly compete at the highest level.
At Royal Randwick on Saturday, Baker has talented duo Perfumist and Mayfair contesting the $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m).
Then on Tuesday at Flemington, the trainer saddles up Arapaho in the race that stops a nation, the $10 million Melbourne Cup (3200m).
Baker, the son of champion New Zealand trainer Murray, reflected on his evolution as a racehorse trainer on the eve of the biggest week of his professional career.
“My father said when I came to Sydney the best thing for our relationship is the Tasman Sea,” Baker said.
“I guess he was saying that I had to make it on my own and there were times when it was very tough.
“But it has worked out really well and I love what I do. We started out small but have built a good business and I’m always looking to keep making improvements.
“I saw what Chris Waller has been able to do in Sydney and he’s an example for any New Zealander getting into racing. In some ways, I have been able to follow what he has done.”
Baker has also done things his way, embracing modern technologies to improve the business.
His wife, Andrea, is in charge of the stable’s social media strategy which focuses on the trainer’s outgoing personality and how to make racing fun for owners.
“Some days we don’t win on the track but we win every day on social media,” he said.
“I feel we definitely have the best platform. We have been able to build a really loyal following through our social media.
“From a marketing point of view it has definitely helped get a better class and quality horses in the stable.
“When Andrea first went into the social media side of things, we felt it was the way to go but if anything it has got even bigger. It definitely helped in more ways than one.
“We want to make racing fun. A lot of my clients see the game the way I do and I’m yet to meet a disappointed winner.”
The rise and rise of Bjorn Baker continues. He is coming off a career-best season of 157 wins on all racetracks including the Doncaster Mile–Sydney Cup Group 1 double with Stefi Magnetica and Arapaho respectively, for stable earnings of more than $26 million prizemoney.
Baker prepared 90 winners on Sydney racetracks to finish second behind Waller in the trainers premiership.
The 2025-26 season is only three months old but Baker is again trailing only Waller in the Sydney premiership race.
Waller has won 15 consecutive premierships but even the ever-confident Baker doubts he can end his rivals dominance of Sydney racing anytime soon.
“It is not something I think too much about,” Baker said.
“With Chris Waller’s numbers and quality of his stock, it is like taking on a tidal wave and I just don’t think I will get to the right number of horses to compete with him.
“But finishing second in the premiership last season was in some ways like winning it. At the moment I’m a good clear second again and I just hope I can hold on.”
In the Golden Eagle at Royal Randwick, Baker is taking on the might of the Waller stable with Perfumist and Mayfair.
Both of Baker’s runners are in very good form but it is a reflection of the depth of quality in the Golden Eagle field that they are at outsider odds – Perfumist is at $16 and Mayfair rated a $81 chance.
Waller’s unbeaten mare Autumn Glow is into odds on favouritism at $1.95 for the rich four-year-old only race.
On the same day that Autumn Glow won the Group 1 Epsom Handicap over the Randwick 1600m a month ago, Perfumist actually ran faster time when she led throughout and easily defeated Idle Flyer in a benchmark 94 race over the course and distance.
Perfumist then clashed with Idle Flyer two weeks ago but this time the placings were reversed with Baker’s mare finishing second, beaten just over a length.
Mayfair goes into the Golden Eagle after racing very competitively in the Silver Eagle two weeks ago, finishing third to Linebacker and Lord Penman.
“This is a tough race, no doubt,” Baker said. “But when Perfumist finds form she tends to hold it and from barrier one, we will look to be positive, we won’t change much with her.
“She is slightly back in trip but I’m hopeful she will be very strong at the 1500m.
“Mayfair went great in the Silver Eagle first-up and I think he has improved again. But the big question mark is the wide gate (14) which will make it tough for him. I just don’t know where he will end up in the run.”
Baker entered three sprinters for Randwick’s other feature race, the $3 million Russell Balding Stakes (1300m) but the trainer is likely to rely solely on Iowna Merc.
Stablemate Amor Victorious is first emergency while Caballus will miss the Russell Balding with Baker deciding to send the sprinter to Melbourne for the Rising Fast Stakes (1200m) at Flemington.
Iowna Merc, who was narrowly beaten by Rothfire in the Sydney Stakes on Everest Day, is rated only a $34 chance against an outstanding field that includes eight individual Group 1 winners.
Jimmysstar, who ran third in The Everest behind Hong Kong superstar Ka Ying Rising, is the $2.70 favourite.
“Iowna Merc was very good in the Sydney Stakes and is third-up at 1300m which suits,” Baker said. “But the problem for him is the barrier (14) and where he gets to in the run.
“Amor Victorious ($126) will find this tough but we want to kick him off and get his campaign going.
“Caballus went enormous first-up (fifth in the Sydney Stakes) and I feel the Flemington race will suit him better.”
Improving sprinter Istolea Merc, the year-younger full-brother to Iowna Merc, is Baker’s best winning chance at the Randwick meeting.
Istolea Merc is the $2.25 favourite for the Bisley Workwear Sprint (1100m) after he took his race record to four wins from eight starts after a brilliant comeback effort at Warwick Farm a month ago.
“We have James McDonald on Istolea Merc and we couldn’t be happier with how the horse is going,” the trainer said.
Then on Tuesday, Baker’s nine-year-old stayer Arapaho will attempt to become the oldest Melbourne Cup winner in the race’s history.
Baker said there was merit in tough stayer Arapaho’s unplaced Bendigo Cup run last Wednesday.
“It was an awkwardly run race and he ended up being shuffled back coming to the corner but I thought he was good to the line,” Baker said.
“We wanted to see him run well at Bendigo. You always want to win but it was hard for him the way the race was run.”
Baker covets a Melbourne Cup, a race his father went so close to winning with runner-up The Phantom in 1990, but his heart is definitely in Sydney these days.
“I’m very Sydney-centric, I don’t have a satellite stable anywhere else, and I want to concentrate on Sydney racing,” Baker said.
“My vision is to try and win the Golden Slipper. Two-year-old racing is very important to Australian racing and I would love to win the Golden Slipper. I do have some really nice two-year-olds this season so we will be doing our best to try and win that race.”
Source: Ray Thomas, Racenet
