29 January 2018 | Graham Fischer
Eyre Peninsula hobby farmer Greg Baker is hoping talented mare Supernova Silvia can prove half as good as her grandfather the legendary Popular Alm.
“We’ll have a bit of fun if she can,” Baker said.
Baker, who was born into harness racing, believes Popular Alm is the greatest standardbred of all time and is proud to say he owned him.
“I would have loved to have him when he was racing but I didn’t purchase him until he was retired and stood him at stud for 10 years before he passed away.”
Popular Alm is the sire of Popular Joey, the dam of Supernova Silvia, a brilliant winner at Globe Derby Park last week.
Trained and driven by Ryan Hryhorec, the six-year-old mare ($4.50 equal fav), having only her fifth race start, led throughout to win by SA BOTRA Home Bred Series heat (1800m) by 11-1/2 metres from Clarenden Hustler ($4.50 equal fav) with Marzzz Barzzz Bazz ($15.60), a half head away third.
Supernova Silvia rated a fast 1:56.7 in scoring.
Baker says he can see a lot of Popular Alm in the mare.
“I might be biased but I think she looks a lot like him, and I hope we can have a bit of fun with her.
“It has been a tough battle but hopefully Ryan has her right and she can go through her grades.”
Baker, who has “about 16 or 17” standardbreds on his property, halfway between Arno Bay and Cowell, adjacent the beach on Eyre Peninsula, is a great believer in giving his young horses time to mature.
“I always say that everyone else can have the Sires races and I’ll take the Hunter Cup, not that it has happened just yet.
“But I do believe in not pushing my young horses and that is why Supernova Silvia didn’t start racing until late 2016. Unfortunately, she suffered a hairline crack after her first race, which was a win, so she had to go back to the paddock.”
Baker’s love affair with harness racing started with his grandfather who lived on Yorke Peninsula in South Australia, and who owned the champion three-year-old High Raider which won the South Australian and Victoria Derbies in 1951.
Incredibly, his father owned High Advice which achieved the same Derby double in 1976.
Because he gives his young horses time, Baker is unlikely to emulate the double but would love nothing better than to win a Hunter Cup.
“Who knows where Supernova Silvia can go but if she stays sound hopefully there are a few more wins in store.
“Ryan has a three-year-old half brother which should be ready to race in a few weeks, and the mare has a yearling brother to come through as well.”
Baker also owns the talented, but hard-pulling, Poppy Had Courage, a winner of six races, which is currently spelling on his property.
“He’ll go back to Ryan in a month or so and I think he has the ability, we just need to stop him pulling so hard.”
Hryhorec admitted the win by Supernova Silvia had given him great pleasure.
“It’s been a long road with a lot of pitfalls but to have her race so well tonight was a real joy,” Hryhorec said.
“I have to thank Greg for his patience, and also Kaye Halliday who does a brilliant job working on the horses with back and muscle issues.”
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