Baraqiel might not relish the William Reid Stakes relocating to Caulfield, but trainers Leon and Troy Corstens plus Will Larkin have locked in the Group 1 for their speedy charge.
The William Reid Stakes (1200m) has long been a Moonee Valley fixture, capping off Melbourne’s Group 1 schedule annually.
Reconstruction at Moonee Valley sidelines it until the 2027 Cox Plate, prompting Caulfield to take over hosting duties for this year’s top sprint contest.
Baraqiel’s Moonee Valley ledger shines bright with a Group 1 Moir Stakes triumph and second in the Manikato Stakes last spring, complemented by a Caulfield success at 1200m in June 2024.
He lines up for Saturday on the back of a fourth placing to Tentyris in Flemington’s Lightning Stakes (1000m) from February 14.
Intended for the Newmarket Handicap (1200m) March 7, he was scratched late after poor blood indicators surfaced.
“He literally had a 24-hour virus,” co-trainer Troy Corstens said.
“He left a little bit of feed, which is very unlike him, so we knew straight away something wasn’t right.
“So, you check all extremities.
“Was there a bird in his feed? – No. Was there anything else wrong? No. Did he have water? Yes, but then his temperature was just on the edge.
“So, we took a blood, and it showed it wasn’t right. His markers were up a little bit which told us he wasn’t spot on.
“He was a tiny bit dull in the eye, which one of the staff picked up on straight away, and in the end, we couldn’t run him.
“We don’t take chances, especially going into a Group 1 like that, you need to be spot on.
“If they’re not, you can run them and then flatten them and then it’s preparation over.”
Lately, the Corstens and Larkin operation has fired with a duo of Caulfield winners last Saturday, extending their run from three at the track on February 21.
Baraqiel’s season remains very much alive for the stable.
He bounced back emphatically, capturing a Flemington jump-out victory last Friday.
“He trialled last week and we were really pleased with it. He seems great,” Corstens said.
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