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Pericles Delivers Historic Tramway Stakes Win for Bjorn Baker and Godolphin
The 2025 Epsom Handicap price on Pericles to win the Randwick mile classic on October 4 has been slashed following the Godolphin galloper’s upset win the Group 2 $300,000 Tramway Stakes (1400m) over the weekend for his new trainer Bjorn Baker.
In a performance that blended class, timing, and history, Pericles stormed home to win the 2025 Tramway Stakes, marking a landmark moment for trainer Baker and global racing powerhouse Godolphin.
The six-year-old gelding not only claimed his second Tramway Stakes title having won the race back in 2023 but he also became the first horse to deliver Godolphin a stakes win under its new public training model.
Transferred from James Cummings to Baker earlier this year, Pericles arrived at Warwick Farm in top order and was primed for a first-up strike.
Baker, a self-described racing purist, had mapped out a plan to target the Tramway early, confident in the gelding’s fitness and trackwork. Two sharp trials confirmed his readiness, and Baker declared the horse “a ready-made Group performer” with over $5 million in earnings.
Drawn wide out in gate 12, Pericles settled in fourth under Josh Parr, who executed a patient ride behind the speed.
As the field turned for home, Parr found a gap at the 300m mark and let the son of Street Boss down powerfully.
Pericles ($9.50) surged past race favourite Private Eye to win by 1¼ lengths, with With Your Blessing finishing a further half-length back in third.
Parr praised the gelding’s composure and acceleration, saying, “He’s such a big horse, but he was able to manoeuvre through comfortably and showed a really good turn of foot.”
For Baker, it was “undoubtedly one of the highs” of his career, made even more special with his father, legendary trainer Murray Baker, in attendance.
Pericles, now a three-time Group 2 winner, will next target the Group 1 $1.5 million Epsom Handicap (1600m), where he’ll aim to extend his dominance over the mile.
Happy Clapper (2017) was the latest galloper to win the Tramway Stakes – Epsom Handicap double.
The price on Pericles to be the next through leading bookmaker Ladbrokes has been slashed from $26 into $11 with the Epsom Handicap nominations closing on Tuesday.
Tramway Stakes 2025 Results
| 7. Pericles (12) J: Josh Parr 57kg x845x T: Bjorn Baker | ||
| 5. Private Eye (14) J: Nash Rawiller 57.5kg 4x3x1 T: Joseph Pride | ||
| 14. With Your Blessing (11) J: Alysha Collett 55kg 12x52 T: John P Thompson | ||
| 11. Osipenko (1) J: Tim Clark 55kg 9275x T: Chris Waller | ||
| 1. Militarize (7) J: James McDonald 58kg 0546x T: Chris Waller | ||
| 15. Swiftfalcon (6) J: Tyler Schiller 55kg 3324x T: M, W & J Hawkes | ||
| 2. Linebacker (16) J: Zac Lloyd 58kg 2618x T: John O'Shea & Tom Charlton | ||
| 4. Willydoit (15) J: Tommy Berry 58kg 1014x T: Ciaron Maher | ||
| 16. War Eternal (5) J: Dylan Gibbons 55kg x8216 T: Bjorn Baker | ||
| 13. Waterford (13) J: Jason Collett 55kg 1x64x T: Chris Waller | ||
| 6. Kovalica (10) J: Adam Hyeronimus 57kg 0331x T: Chris Waller | ||
| 17. Depth Of Character (4) J: Chad Schofield 57kg 3112x T: Annabel & Rob Archibald | ||
| 3. Port Lockroy (8) J: Ethan Brown 58kg x897x T: Annabel & Rob Archibald | ||
| 10. Al Mubhir (2) J: Ashley Morgan 55kg 6035x T: Annabel & Rob Archibald | ||
| 9. Coleman (9) J: Kerrin McEvoy 56kg 0030x T: Chris Waller | ||
| 12. Territory Express (3) J: Jean Van Overmeire 55kg 250x0 T: Paul Niceforo |
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