Barraquero at a Crossroads

Following a minor but untimely hold-up, Barraquero (Ire) (Zebedee {GB}) is approaching a crossroads in his young career, as Brian Meehan prepares to decide between a possible crack at the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas or keeping him at sprint distances.

The Manton trainer reports that the exciting colt, who won the G2 Richmond S. on his stakes debut last summer, has recovered well from the shin issue that sidelined him for the rest of the season. But a brief return to the easy list has put a question mark against his scheduled reappearance in the G3 Greatwood Greenham S. at Newbury on Apr. 21–a race intended to allow Barraquero to test the water over a seventh furlong, with the Guineas mile in mind.

“He got a bit of a cough 10 days ago,” Meehan explained on Monday. “So it depends how this next week goes. He's had three days off, but is back cantering this morning and has been very forward and fit–so it wouldn't take very much at all to get him ready. But we're in a lucky position. Ten years ago, where would you go with a highly-rated 3-year-old that misses the Guineas? Now you can make an alternative plan and look at the [G1] Commonwealth Cup. So if he doesn't make the Greenham and Guineas, he can go to the Sandy Lane and then to Ascot.”

Barraquero's dam, by Oasis Dream (GB), did stay a mile at a modest level but was out of a 6f listed winner in Just Ice (GB) (Polar Falcon). There are mixed messages deeper in the pedigree, but Barraquero certainly showed plenty of his sire's dash in three starts at two: running third on his Newbury debut behind Expert Eye (GB) (Acclamation {GB})–such an impressive winner himself at Goodwood, two days before the Richmond–before bolting up at Chepstow by six lengths.

The one guarantee is that the current wet weather would not hinder him in the Greenham, as the going was unseasonably soft when he won at Goodwood. If he does go to Newbury, moreover, Meehan believes the colt's straightforward disposition would aid the attempt to draw out his speed.

“If you're being absolutely honest, looking at the way he won at Goodwood and his form so far, then it might well be sensible to look at sprinting anyway,” Meehan said. “But you've got to give the horse the [Guineas] option, if you can. And with the Greenham you're in the middle [in terms of trip], he doesn't get the penalty, and you might get that ground as well.”