Jockey Tyler Schiller overcame adversity to help propel Amor Victorious snare to a tough all the way win at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
Schiller's saddle slipped right out of the gates in the Group 2 $300,000 Shannon Stakes (1500m) but the Group 1-winning hoop was still able to navigate a path to victory.
He controlled things from out in front and Amor Victorious just kept finding in the straight to prevail.
"He jumped really sharp, did everything right and pretty much I just rode to Bjorn's (Baker) instructions," Schiller said.
"I just quickened up from the 600m and try to get them chasing. He did a great job to tough it out and I thought he was very brave."
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"I knew it (the saddle) was back but I was still balanced, I could just feel that the saddle was back further.
"I could still put my irons where I could. So I was comfortable but I was just happy that the horse underneath me kept travelling."
Amor Victorious ($8.50) kept the Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained Punch Lane ($14) at bay to score by half a length with Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott's New Endeavour ($26) a further three quarters of a length away.
It was a first stakes success of the season for Baker, much to his relief.
"It's a long straight and I could run them on a dog track and it would be a long straight at the moment," Baker said.
"I've been running seconds, thirds and fourths.
"It's been frustrating but that's what you need and you need good horses and clients to snap yourself out of it."
It was a reward for consistency for Baker's galloper, who had finished among the placings in both starts this preparation before getting back on the board in Sydney.
"His first two runs, he was up against some good horses and at the time he probably didn't look as good as he can," Baker said.
"I even debated whether we ran him today.
"I had a talk to Scott (Darby) and he was like ‘it's up to you'.
"He was full of beans and we thought with the blinkers on that might just sharpen him up a bit."
Baker indicated that Amor Victorious would now be set for the Five Diamonds Prelude and Five Diamonds.
By MITCH COHEN for racenet.
