Trainer Troy Corstens was moved to tears after injury-prone gelding Baraqiel overcame a career of setbacks to capture the Moir Stakes (G1) at The Valley Sept. 6, delivering one of the most emotional victories of his career.
The 1,000-meter (about five-furlong) contest was run at breakneck speed, leaving several hard-luck stories in behind, but it was the son of the late Snitzel who emerged from the pack to post his first group 1 triumph after striking first-up in the Carlyon Stakes at the same track last month.
With jockey Ben Allen navigating a narrow run up the fence in the dying stages, Baraqiel tenaciously surged to deny a game Alabama Lass by a half-length, with Arabian Summer sticking on to finish just 0.1 lengths further back in third.
For Corstens, who trains in partnership with his father Leon and Will Larkin under the Malua Racing banner, the victory was a vindication of years of patient handling and belief in the 7-year-old, who many thought would never make it back to the track.
"You don't often get horses as good as him, and we pictured that early on," Corstens told Racing.com.
"There was a stage where just about everyone had had enough of him. Nathan (Bennett, owner), was talking about selling him online, I said, 'Don't do that, because I will buy him.'
"I didn't want to do that because the guys had been along for the run so long and they deserved to share in his success, which I knew would come. 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 for as long as we can."
Purchased for $150,000 as a yearling, Baraqiel did not debut until he was 5 after a tendon injury delayed his career. He announced himself by winning his first four starts last year, but further tendon issues—to both hind and forelegs—stalled his progress. As recently as July, Racing Victoria vets ordered his withdrawal from a planned Caulfield return after ruling him lame.
Through it all, Corstens and his team persevered. At one stage, Corstens oversaw the horse's rehabilitation at no cost to his large ownership group led by Bennett Racing.
"It's amazing and to do it with him, it's very special," Corstens said. "It's so good. I'm stoked for him."
For Larkin, who joined the training partnership last year, the win was a deeply significant first group 1 triumph.
"It's been massive, right from when I started with Leon and Troy we've been patching him together," he said. "We've had so many setbacks. You have to think on your feet all the time and not overwork them and use the time to get them up to speed. So much hard work goes into it. The whole team at home, we're pretty much patching him up every day. To get to this point is quite emotional.
Baraqiel, who has now won eight of 12 starts and over AU$1.1 million in prize money, will head to the Sept. 26 Manikato Stakes (G1) in a bid to make it five wins from as many starts at The Valley.
Bred by Arrowfield Group and Jungle Pocket, Baraqiel was purchased by Bennett Racing, Anthony Freedman Racing, and Blue Sky Bloodstock from the Arrowfield draft at the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
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