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Bjorn Baker is just about to crank up his third crop of juveniles since setting up base in Australia – and it is not hard to see why he is keen to again race two-year-olds.
Twilight Royale, which chased a $2.4 million bonus in the Scone Guineas earlier this year, and Magic Millions winner Unencumbered have already pocketed big purses for Baker and his connections.
Baker's next crop of babies were laid low at the start of the 2014-15 season after a virus swept through his Warwick Farm yard, but there is finally a bit of light at the end of the tunnel.
John Singleton's colt Billy Big Brown, by Kentucky Derby hero Big Brown, in which the advertising mogul also has a stake, will make his debut on the Kensington track at Randwick in the first event on Saturday.
"I love the early fast two-year-olds and that's what Australian racing is about," Baker said. "I've been lucky enough to have Twilight Royale and Unencumbered.
"This is really my third crop of two-year-olds and I'm hoping something will come out of the woodwork in the next couple of weeks or couple of months. Maybe it's Billy Big Brown?
"It's hard to get a line on him because he's a pretty laidback colt.
"He's a lovely horse and it's a big ask to go to Randwick first time out, but we'll give him the opportunity and you never know if they can do it. If he can, we might be able to look at some targets in the autumn."
Billy Big Brown has won both trials he has contested, the latest a smart effort at Hawkesbury in which he stalked the speed before strongly finding the line.
He is one of eight on debut in the autumn-shaping race at Randwick – only Domanus and Italy have race experience – and Baker admits the verdict is still out on Billy Big Brown's sire.
"I've only had a couple [of Big Browns] and I guess he hasn't set the world on fire, but Billy Big Brown is a lovely type of horse and I've got another [Big Brown] up at Newcastle on Saturday which should run well as well."
Baker's Randwick team will be spearheaded by smart sprinters Encostanati and Burbero in the last, while Cyclone and last-start winner Off The Rails are well found in early markets for the fourth and fifth, respectively.
"I think [Encostanati's] first-up run was really good and I thought he was just a little bit short in terms of his fitness," Baker said.
"He had only the one trial going into it, but since his last run he has come on really well. His work has been excellent and he was knocking on the door in terms of a Saturday race last time.
"Burbero is a cunning old fox and, really, if he puts his best foot forward he can be in the finish, too."
