Emotional Victory For Baraqiel In Moir Stakes

7YO overcomes setbacks to take out maiden GI at Moonee Valley

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MELBOURNE - Injury-prone galloper Baraqiel has put all his ailments behind him to become a Group 1 winner in a mad dash at Moonee Valley on Sept 6.

The Leon and Troy Corstens and Will Larkin-trained sprinter burst through a narrow gap late in the race to take out the A$750,000 (S$630,000) Moir Stakes (1,000m).

The pace was on for the 1000m sprint from the outset and there were a number of hard luck stories, and if beaten, Baraqiel would have been one of them.

Somehow, jockey Ben Allen was able to weave a passage through the line of horses in front of him. Baraqiel ($38) won by half a length from Alabama Lass (Craig Williams) on the line, with Arabian Summer (Harry Coffey) another half a length away in third.

Now a seven-year-old, Baraqiel did not race until he was a five-year-old. The son of Snitzel had injured a tendon in a hind leg before his debut.

Yet, the sprinter went on to win his first four starts in 2024, and the Corstens were reluctant to spell Baraqiel before Larkin entered the training partnership last season.