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New Zealander Bjorn Baker narrowly missed out on his fifth win since relocating to Australia when Havana Rey was pipped on the line by Gai Waterhouse three-year-old Satirical Boy at Canterbury this afternoon.
Havana Rey looked home at the 200m after a typical front-running ride from Jim Cassidy in the Benchmark 75 Handicap (1900m), before Waterhouse's Fusaichi Pegasus gelding flashed home to notch his first salute this campaign. Anthony Cummings' Grand Sai Wan crossed the line in third.
There was barely a head in the result on course but off the track the chasm between Waterhouse and Baker couldn't be wider.
Waterhouse has been one of Sydney's leading trainers for two decades, while Baker has spent most of that time working under the tutelage of his father Murray, one of New Zealand's most respected horsemen, and has only recently branched out on his own.
During the time spent learning from his father, he helped saddle up Group One winners Lion Tamer and Nom Du Jeu.
Baker moved across the Tasman Sea barely six months ago establishing his own base at Warwick Farm and he's wasting no time gaining a competitive foothold in the ultra-competitive Big Smoke.
Havana Rey has easily been his best performer this year, winning at Newcastle before giving Baker his first official metropolitan triumph in Canterbury less than two weeks ago.
He's also enjoyed wins with Sky Gaze at Bathurst, and very impressive two-year-old Great Dansaar earlier this month at Orange.
But it wasn't to be this afternoon as Havana Rey faded in the last few strides and Waterhouse's flyer reigned supreme.
Punters expected the three-year-old, one of two Waterhouse runners, to impress and he was backed from $4.60 to $4.20 late on track.
Stablemate Rocky Two also attracted plenty of late money, but settled at the rear in running and never wound up.
Jockey Nash Rawiller, who rode Satirical Boy when he finished seventh behind Havana Rey last start, said the horse had responded to the whip a lot better this afternoon.
“I gave him a good ride the other day, I just chimed in three deep probably 150 to go and no sooner had I got there he threw the towel in,” Rawiller said of the ride earlier this month.
“The race panned out perfectly for him and he was just able to have the last crack.”
