By Sean Cronin
Third on debut behind Tuesday's impressive G2 Vintage S. hero Expert Eye (GB) (Acclamation {GB}) in a June 15 novice heat at Newbury, Barraquero (Ire) (Zebedee {GB}) graduated at Chepstow 19 days later and stepped forward once again to register a third G2 Qatar Richmond S. for trainer Brian Meehan in Thursday's rain-affected renewal at Goodwood. Hidden under cover off the pace in sixth through the early fractions, the 4-1 chance made smooth headway from halfway to loom large passing the quarter-mile marker and was ridden out once shaken up for his challenge approaching the final eighth to claim a career high with plenty in hand. At the line he had 1 1/4 lengths to spare over Nebo (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) with 2-1 favourite Cardsharp (GB) (Lonhro {Aus}), weighed down by a three-pound impost for winning Newmarket's July 13 G2 July S., 2 1/4 lengths back in third. “I rode him at Newbury first time out in a good race and he ran very well behind the horse that won the Vintage, and then won at Chepstow,” explained winning rider William Buick. “I got a nice bit of cover racing into a headwind and I was impressed with him today. The ground is always a concern when it's like this and he seemed to handle it okay, but he'll be a better horse on better ground. He's very quick, he's got a lot of gears and is a good 2-year-old.”
Barraquero, whose eventful second start at Chepstow involved unshipping rider Tom Marquand and crashing through a rail after passing the line six lengths to the good, becomes the third Richmond winner for trainer Brian Meehan, following on from Easycall (GB) (Forzando {GB}) in 1996 and Carrizo Creek (Ire) (Charnwood Forest {Ire}) in 2003, and the trainer is tempted to have a crack at Deauville's Aug. 20 G1 Prix Morny, a race in which the latter finished fifth. “I'm very excited about him and he's always been that type of horse,” he said. “Since the spring he's always been an exciting type and I was concerned about the ground yesterday, but this morning it seemed a bit more civilised. My other two winners were nice horses, but this is now and I think he's a Group 1 horse and will get further. I'd love to think he'll go for the Morny in two weeks, but he's got other entries.”
Nebo's trainer Charlie Hills hasn't got the Morny feeling and suggested a return to the seven-furlong trip, at which the runner-up finished second in Newmarket's July 15 G2 Superlative S. last time, is more likely on the cards. “The ground is not an excuse, the winner looked good and showed a better turn of foot than we did,” he reflected. “He may have bumped into [a good] one there and will probably go back to seven furlongs. We'll have a look at the [Sept. 16 G2] Champagne S. at Doncaster. He's a bonny horse and time will tell if he makes a 3-year-old.” Mark Johnston, trainer of the third home Cardsharp, is not putting a line through the Morny just yet and added, “I hope it's the ground as the jockey feels it is. He travelled like the best horse, but they've come at him and he was unable to pick up and that is par for the course on that ground. I'm not ruling out going for the Prix Morny.”
Barraquero is the sole winner and leading performer out of Chica Whopa (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}, herself a winning daughter of Listed Criterium du Bequet victress Just Ice (GB) (Polar Falcon), who also produced the stakes-winning G3 Prix de Seine-et-Oise third Jezebel (GB) (Owington {GB}). Jezebel, who is the dam of Listed Star Shoot S. winner Ancient Goddess (Fr) (Iffraaj {GB}), is a half-sister to a trio of black-type performers which include the stakes-winning G3 Oleander-Rennen runner-up Palmetto Express (GB) (Glint of Gold {GB}) and the stakes-winning G2 Lowther S. and G3 May Hill S. placegetter Always on a Sunday (GB) (Star Appeal {Ire}).
Thursday, Goodwood, Britain
QATAR RICHMOND S.-G2, £200,000, GOO, 8-3, 2yo, c/g, 6fT, 1:15.42, sf.
1–BARRAQUERO (IRE), 126, c, 2, by Zebedee (GB)
1st Dam: Chica Whopa (Ire), by Oasis Dream (GB)
2nd Dam: Just Ice (GB), by Polar Falcon
3rd Dam: Justine, by Luciano (GB)
*1st stakes win. (€40,000 Wlg '15 GOFNOV; £30,000 Ylg '16 GOUKPR). O-Manton Thoroughbreds II; B-Helen Smith & Sally Mullen (IRE); T-Brian Meehan; J-William Buick. £113,420. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-1, $157,450. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Nebo (Ire), 126, c, 2, Kodiac (GB)–Kindling (GB), by Dr Fong. (75,000gns Ylg '16 TAOCT). O-Mrs Julie Martin & David R Martin; B-Select Bloodstock & Melchior Bloodstock (IRE); T-Charles Hills. £43,000.
3–Cardsharp (GB), 129, c, 2, Lonhro (Aus)–Pure Illusion (Ire), by Danehill. O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum; B-Godolphin (GB); T-Mark Johnston. £21,520.
Margins: 1 1/4, 2 1/4, 2 1/4. Odds: 4.00, 3.00, 2.00.
Also Ran: Etefaaq (Ire), Green Power (GB), Headway (GB), Bullington Bandit (Ire). Scratched: Grand Koonta (Ire), Invincible Army (Ire), U S Navy Flag. Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
