Barney Roy handed Godolphin its third consecutive win in the Longines Grosser Preis von Baden (G1) with a tenacious effort Sept. 13 at Baden-Baden. It was his second major victory in Germany this season and his fourth career group 1 success.
Godolphin won the race a year ago with 14-length victor Ghaiyyath and in 2018 with Best Solution.
Barney Roy raced freely in fifth on the outside of the eight runners before moving up a place after the first half-mile. He quickened strongly for jockey James Doyle as the whole field came over to the stands' rail entering the straight and loomed up to challenge long-time leader Communique for the lead a furlong and a half from home.
Most of the field appeared to hold chances with a furlong left, with Barney Roy taking up a slight advantage soon after. The Charlie Appleby-trained 6-year-old then asserted himself over Communique in the closing stages for a 1 1/4-length verdict. The favored Torquator Tasso finished third a neck behind Communique.
"We are delighted to see Barney Roy win another group 1 race in his extended career," Appleby said. "He has established himself as a real favorite in the yard and, now that we know he stays a mile and a half, it can hopefully open up a few more doors for him.
"A trip to Canada for the (Oct. 18) Northern Dancer Turf Stakes (G1T), which we won with Old Persian last year, could potentially be on the cards for him now."
Doyle added: "It looked a strong race on paper and the field appeared to be quite closely matched, with the German Derby (G1) form and a few from Barney Roy's previous races all tied in.
"He was much better on the ground today. It was a bit testing at Cologne but it had dried out here. It still wasn't his perfect racing surface but he got away with it."
Barney Roy has won four of six starts this season, including the Jebel Hatta Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1) on the Meydan turf. Two starts back he took the Grosser Dallmayr-Preis-Bayerisches Zuchtrennen (G1) at Munich before finishing a close fourth in the Preis von Europa (G1) at Cologne.
The bay won the St. James's Palace Stakes (G1) at 3 and entered stud the next year, but was gelded and successfully returned to the races last season after proving subfertile.
