‘He’s an iron man’: Baker’s Melbourne Cup hope survives bizarre drama

All’s well that ends well, and thankfully for connections of improving stayer So You Are, the horse has overcome a pre-race hiccup to put himself in the frame for a Melbourne Cup start.

The Bjorn Baker-trained $3.30 favourite dug deep for Tommy Berry to stave off the challenge of Tempesti ($31) by three-quarters of a length in Saturday’s St Leger Stakes (2600m) at Randwick, earning himself a trip south for Australia’s most famous race.

However, it was almost over before it started.

So You Are was found to be missing a lead bag prior to parading and had to be unsaddled and his gear re-weighed before he could be resaddled.

SO YOU ARE WINS THE ST LEGER 💪

BJORN HAS A DOUBLE ON EVEREST DAY

@TommyBerry21 @BBakerRacing https://t.co/hguFlcuGg1

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) October 17, 2026

Baker’s assistant, Glen Lobb, was given the final task and got a shove from the horse for his troubles which knocked him backwards and off his feet.

Thankfully, Lobb was fine, and while So You Are appeared to be agitated by the extra attention, he put it behind him to deliver a victory – his third in succession.

“Bit of a mistake. It worked out thankfully well,” Baker said.

“I did say to Tommy (Berry), ‘I’ll give you a bit of cash if you tell ‘Stuey’ (owner Stuart Ramsey) it was your fault’.

“He (So You Are) is an iron man, and he was good late. I knew he’d keep finding and massive thrill to win on a day like today. How special.”

So You Are currently has 52kg in the Melbourne Cup (3200m) and Baker says it’s their intention for the horse to line up.

“He’s a really, really good stayer. I can’t wait to see him over two miles,” he said.

“I’m sure he’ll be able to get into the Melbourne Cup off that, so hopefully he comes through well.

“I’ve only had him for the four runs, so I’m the lucky benefactor of a really well-trained, straightforward racehorse.”

Klondike ($7.50 ) was doing his best work late to grab third and jockey Zac Lloyd said the import had his hoof on the till.

“He went very well. I think he is ready to win,” Lloyd said.