Saturday summary: Baraqiel throws hat in Everest ring with Moir success

Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything

Baraqiel keeps unbeaten Valley record intact with Moir victory

There had been ripples of doubt in Baraqiel (Snitzel) across social media in the run up to Saturday’s G1 Moir Stakes - punters still saw fit to see him jump at $6 - and the 7-year-old did more than enough to assuage them on the day, keeping his perfect Moonee Valley record intact with a half-length victory over Alabama Lass (Alabama Express).

In 12 starts, the Malua Racing-trained gelding has visited the Valley four times for four victories, all of which have come under the steerage of Ben Allen, who has partnered him from the start.

“It's very special,” said an emotional Troy Corstens, who trains the gelding alongside Leon Corstens and Will Larkin. Baraqiel has defied numerous injuries - including setbacks in all four limbs - to take his record to eight wins, three at stakes level, and over $1.1 million in prizemoney.

“I think about it every day (injury history) with him, he's so fragile. You never know when it's coming. You know it's going to come and you hope you can hold him together as long as we can. He loves it here.”

“So much hard work goes into it,” Larkin agreed. "The whole team at home, we're pretty much patching him up every day at home. You get to this point and it's quite emotional.

“I was very nervous at the top of the straight. I thought we were going to go to the line untested. His turn of foot is just so brilliant. He's such a good horse and what he can do when he's got clear air is unbelievable.”

The G1 Manikato Stakes is Baraqiel’s next target, but the team wouldn’t be opposed to a trip north to Sydney, should an Everest slotholder come calling.

Gallery: Connections of Baraqiel after winning the G1 Moir Stakes, images courtesy of The Image Is Everything

Sales: Bennett Racing and Blue Sky Bloodstock (FBAA) paid $150,000 for Baraqiel when presented at the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale by Arrowfield Stud.

Pedigree: Baraqiel is one of two stakes winners for Group 3-winning Angel Of Mercy (Hussonet {USA}), who has a Hitotsu colt bound for the sales next year. His half-sister, G1 Australian Oaks winner Autumn Angel (The Autumn Sun), was bought by Yulong for $1.225 million in a bespoke Inglis Digital auction last September, and is due to foal to Panthalassa (Jpn) in October.

Uncatchable Lindermann lifts to win Chelmsford

The ever tough Lindermann (Lonhro) was on top form on Saturday when taking out the G2 Chelmsford Stakes for Chris Waller at Randwick. The gelding jumped straight to the front of the 1600-metre contest from the gates and stayed there under Nash Rawiller, fending off a late challenge by the fast-finishing Sir Delius (GB) (Frankel {GB}) to win by head, with Vauban (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) zipping home into third.

After fading to 10th last start in the G1 Winx Stakes, it was a satisfying return to form for the 6-year-old, who now has six wins and just shy of $2.3 million in prizemoney to his credit.

“It has been tough the last couple of runs, wet tracks and things like that,” said Waller. “He's a stable favourite, he would be right up there in the top few. You don't want to see horses running down the track like he has been.”

“We put our heads together and said, this horse has never looked better. If anything, he looked a bit too well last start. He has never worked better, the track riders, our foreman and strapper, all of us said let's keep pushing on."

“We are at the point of saying, 'sorry Nash, do you mind riding him again. He mightn't be in the best form' and Nash said, 'he's been good to me. I'll stick with him.' As they say, the band is back together.”

“To me, for a horse who usually gives his all every time, I thought he'd been a little bit quick to give the game away (last start)," said Rawiller. "Chris took him home, had a great look at him. It wasn't until Wednesday that I accepted the ride. This was his race today on the platter and was special to see him come out and do it."

Sales: Lindermann is a homebred for Woppitt Bloodstock.

Pedigree: Lindermann is one of four winners for stakes performer Self Esteem (Stratum), who was fourth in the G1 Vinery Stud Stakes. The close family includes Champion 2YO and 3YO Assertive Lad (Zedative) and G1 Flight Stakes winner Assertive Lass (Zeditave), dam of Reset. Self Esteem has a yearling filly by Pierro to follow, and missed last spring to Anamoe and Wootton Bassett (GB).

Pericles scores Tramway for new trainer Baker

It was a special victory for Bjorn Baker and Pericles (Street Boss {USA}) on Saturday when the 6-year-old gelding clinched the G2 Tramway Stakes, defying antepost favourite Private Eye (Al Maher) to score Godolphin’s first stakes victory since moving to a public training model at the start of the season. Under Joshua Parr, Pericles stalked the lead until well into the home straight, shifting clear at the 300-metre mark and darting home for the win by a length and a quarter.

Pericles also won the Tramway in 2023 for former Godolphin head trainer James Cummings, becoming the third horse in the last seven editions to win the race twice.

“He is very laid-back, very straightforward, and (it’s a) huge to win for Godolphin,” Baker said.

“I'm a bit of a racing purist and history buff. My father (former trainer Murray Baker) is here today - he goes back into the 1700s - (so) to win a race for a global superpower like Godolphin is a huge thrill for me, my family, and my team.

“We all know how important it is and how lucky we are. He's a very good horse. Anybody could train him.”

“It all worked out really well and I'm really glad he was able to put the race away so easily and so well considering we were so confident coming here today on how he'd been working,” Parr said.

Sales: Pericles is a homebred for the Godolphin operation.

Pedigree: A half-brother to the stallions Epaulette, Helmet, and Bullbars, Pericles is the fifth stakes winner from Accessories (GB) (Singspiel {GB}), an unraced close relation to European Champion 3YO Adayar (Ire). Pericles’ half-brother, the stakes-placed Lavalier (Microphone) who was fourth in the G1 Queensland Derby at his last start, sold to Sunshine Pty Ltd for $380,000 in an Inglis Digital auction this past July.

Headwall stakes Everest claim with Concorde victory

Matthew Smith’s Headwall (Dream Ahead {USA}) has been courting a slot for the G1 The Everest this year after placings at Group 1 level in the autumn, and the 6-year-old put on a lightning performance in the G3 Concorde Stakes at Randwick on Saturday to prove he could be a savvy choice for remaining slot holders.

Almost last at the turn for home in the 1000-metre contest, the gelding inched his way to the front for Zac Lloyd before pounding home once clear, with an unlucky Lady Shenandoah (Snitzel) chasing hard at his heels to miss the win by a short head. Confirmed Everest runner Jimmysstar (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) was fifth.

Smith shared that no one had contacted him about the gelding as of yet, but hopefully Saturday's performance would turn that around

“Hopefully someone will give us a call,” he said. “You never know. It's a hard race to get into and everybody wants to be in there. It's about timing and the timing is good for this horse. He's got the credentials so fingers crossed we can get a slot.”

The G2 The Shorts, a traditional Everest lead-up, is next on Headwall's agenda.

“If he comes through this run ‘good', we'll go to The Shorts, then we could easily go a month between The Shorts and The Everest if we get a slot,” Smith said. “It's a relief to see him run so well first-up. You just want to see him come back where he left off last time in and just run the way he has been working and trialling.

“He had to make a good, long run today. We wanted to get him into the clear and just let him do his thing and Zac (Lloyd) got him out at the right time.

“The horse still weighs in a good bit heavier than when he ran first-up last time in so there's improvement to come. Everything has been good about the prep. We've had a really trouble-free run into today's race and I just wanted to see him come out and do that.”

Eight Everest slots remain, and it's not hard to imagine that more than one may start to close in on Headwall now.

Sales: Headwall has been retained to race by his breeders.

Pedigree: Headwall is one of three winners from dual juvenile winner Positive Quest (Not A Single Doubt), a half-sister to the dam of multiple Group-placed Tricky Gal (Magic Albert). Positive Quest has a yearling filly to follow by Artorius, and was covered by North Pacific last November.

Quintessa reigns supreme in Proisir Plate

Almost exactly a year on from her most recent victory in the G3 Cockram Plate, Te Akau Racing’s Quintessa (NZ) (Shamus Award) returns to her winning ways with a spectacular victory in the G1 Proisir Plate at Ellerslie on Saturday. The 5-year-old mare jumped from barrier 15 of 16 and settled near the rear under the steerage of Rory Hutchings, before the pair angled out wide in the home straight and charged for the line, beating La Crique (NZ) (Vadamos {Fr}) by a length and a half.

It marked a fourth win in New Zealand’s first Group 1 of the season for Te Akau across the race’s last eight runnings, and a second victory for co-trainer Sam Bergerson, who experienced his first Group 1 on the trainer’s ticket courtesy of Skew Wiff (NZ) (Savabeel) in the race in 2023.

“Quintessa was incredible today,” Bergerson, who trains in partnership with Mark Walker, said. “I was actually watching the other mare (Qali Al Farrasha) for most of the straight, and then at the last minute, she was flashing and we started really screaming.

“She’s pretty unassuming at home. She’d be one of the worst trackworkers in Matamata. But once those shades go on and she sees the crowd and gets a bit of a buzz for it, she’s just so genuine and tries so hard. That’s always going to hold her in good stead.”

Bergerson was particularly pleased to have Hutchings present for the ride; all four of Hutchings’ Group 1 victories have come in New Zealand.

“It was fantastic to get Rory over,” Bergerson continued. “He gave her an A1 ride, so patient. Full credit to the horse and Rory. It’s special to get this win with my parents here today, and awesome to do it at Ellerslie.

“I’m really stoked and just taking it all in and pinching myself, really.”

With prizemoney over NZ$1 million and a sixth win under her belt, Quintessa rockets for equal second favouritism for the G1 Howden Insurance Mile at the end of the month.

“I think the mile is the logical next step,” Bergerson added. “But we'll get her home and make sure she’s come through it well and then go from there.”

Sales: Te Akau Racing’s David Ellis CNZM (BAFNZ) paid NZ$170,000 for Quintessa at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale in 2022, where she was offered by Wentworth Grange on behalf of breeder Peachester Lodge.

Pedigree: Quintessa is the best of two winners from five-time winner Chaquinta (NZ) (High Chaparral {Ire}), a half-sister to the dam of dual Group 3 winner Dionysus (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}). Chaquinta has a Per Incanto (USA) colt to be aimed at next year’s yearling sales, and missed this past season.

Angel Capital victorious on debut for Waller

Four-year-old entire Angel Capital (Harry Angel {Ire}) made his much anticipated return to the races on Saturday in the Listed Chautauqua Stakes at Moonee Valley, coasting away from his rivals to win by three and three-quarter-lengths for new trainer Chris Waller. The entire had won the G2 Autumn Stakes at his last start back in February, before new owners Yulong transferred him to Waller’s care.

“He had a fantastic record, so that's obviously why Yulong stepped in,” Waller's racing manager Charlie Duckworth said after the victory. “We're just trying to continue on that form, maintain that form and if we can get a Group 1 for them, it would be great to get that win for a stallion at stud.”

Connections have yet to decide where the colt will head next, but scoring at the highest level is at the top of the agenda.

“Being a colt, his primary target is to try and get that Group 1,” Duckworth said. “We'll leave that to Chris exactly where we'll go, but based on that, he looks like he's going to measure up anyway.

“With this first run, he may settle better next time and whether you stay at 1200 (metres) or whether we go to 1400. That's basically what needs to be worked out and found out, but it's an exciting problem to have.”

Sales: A $400,000 Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale purchase from Mill Park Stud for Upper Bloodstock and G Ho, Angel Capital was privately purchased by Yulong following his early autumn performances.

Pedigree: Angel Capital is the third stakes winner from G1 SAJC Oaks-placed Bahamas (Teofilo {Ire}), who is also the dam of Group winners Senor Toba (Toronado {Ire}) and Berkeley Square (Territories {Ire}). Bahamas is also a half-sister to G2 Matriarch Stakes winner Affair To Remember (Toronado {Ire}), and is currently in foal to Harry Angel (Ire) after delivering a Blue Point (Ire) colt last spring.