Bjorn Baker’s Doomben 10,000 winner Music Magnate will miss the spring racing carnival season due to a virus.

The Written Tycoon four-year-old posted his maiden elite level win in the winter taking out the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 (1350m) over race favourite Azkadellia in Brisbane on May 28.

Music Magnate failed to repeat the same form next run when crossing a distant 16^th, defeated over 17 lengths, by Under The Louvre in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm.

His Warwick Farm-based trainer Baker later found the horse to be suffering from a virus, which helps explain the disappointing run in Queensland’s richest race, and that the winter setback would see Music Magnate miss out on a spring campaign.

“It [the Doomben 10,000 win] was even more special, I bought the horse – we’ve had him for a long time,” Baker told Racing Victoria this week.

“He hasn’t been straightforward; he had one or two issues.

“We’ve been patient with him and it worked out well.

“Unfortunately, he just recently had a virus so he’ll be out for the spring and bring him back for the New Year.”

A winner of six of his 13 starts for $825,000 in total prize money to date, Music Magnate had raced exclusively in New South Wales up until his two-start Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival raid this season.

Despite not being well enough to head down to Victoria this spring, Baker hasn’t ruled out a trip south for the horse in next year’s Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival.

“I wouldn’t mind heading down there,” he added.

Baker admitted that losing Music Magnate from his spring contingent was a notable blow and that the stable was quieter than usual for this time of year after Group 2 Champagne Classic winning colt Winning Rupert also suffered a recent setback.

“We’re a little bit quieter than I’d have liked to be,” he said.

“Music Magnate’s out and Winning Rupert’s had a minor setback as well, so we’ll look to the Magic Millions [at the Gold Coast in January next year] with him.

“So at this stage, I’ve got a few possibles and no definitives, which is unfortunate because Melbourne in the spring is where you want to be.”

Written Tycoon two-year-old Winning Rupert is undefeated having won the Group 2 at Doomben on the back of a Sunshine Coast success on debut in April.

He will target the lucrative Magic Millions 3YO Guineas at the Gold Coast next Magic Millions Race Day in early January 2017.

Baker might be short on spring hopefuls but there are still plenty of stars to get behind in the Group 1 races over the coming weeks online at Ladbrokes.com.au – home of Odds Boost!