‘As good, if not better than all of them’ – Baker stamps top Gold Coast-bound colt Paradoxium

Trainer Bjorn Baker has labelled Paradoxium as potentially better than his previous Magic Millions 2YO Classic winners Unencumbered and O’ Ole after the Extreme Choice colt produced a dominant first-up win in a key lead-up to the Gold Coast on Wednesday.

Fourth in the Breeders’ Plate at Randwick in early October, Paradoxium is on track for a tilt at the $3 million race on the Gold Coast next month after resuming from a let-up with a sustained display of speed to win the Magic Millions Wyong 2YO Classic.

Starting the $2.35 favourite, Paradoxium was sent forward to lead by jockey Jason Collett with second favourite Seeiaye ($4.60) sitting on his outside but after absorbing the pressure, the Baker trainee put 2.84 lengths on runner-up Mystical ($6) and Masvingo ($5), a stablemate to the winner. Seeiaye dropped off to run fourth in the $200,000 race.

Baker indicated that the Group 3 BJ McLachlan at Eagle Farm on December 27 could be the pre-cursor to the Magic Millions.

“I’m hoping, third time lucky, I’ve won this race twice before and they’ve gone on to win it,” Baker told Sky Racing.

“I think this guy’s as good, if not better, than all of them. So, it’s very, very exciting, and I thought Masvingo was good, too. She’s picked up more money, and hopefully can get her there, too.”

A $400,000 buy for Baker, agent Jim Clarke and Ridgmont Farm from the Silverdale Farm draft, Paradoxium is out of the stakes-placed Better Than Ready mare Paredo who is also from the same family as Group 1-winning colt Private Harry.

Meanwhile, last season’s Winx Guineas winner The Three Hundred returned from a spell with a first-up win the Magic Millions Wyong 3YO & 4YO Stakes for trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott. King Of Roseau ran second, with Spywire in third.

The Magic Millions meeting featuring the 2YO Classic and 3YO Guineas will be held on January 17.