Baraqiel scores emotional 2025 Moir Stakes victory

The rollercoaster career of Baraqiel reached its peak on Saturday when the galloper claimed a thrilling win in the Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley.

Despite a checkered history with multiple tendon injuries and late withdrawals, the Leon and Troy Corstens and Will Larkin-trained sprinter showed his trademark tenacity. Ridden by Ben Allen, the gelding threaded through tight gaps in the final 200m to win by a long neck at $6, beating Alabama Lass ($6.50) and Arabian Summer ($16).

Baraqiel’s path to Group 1 glory has been far from smooth. A tendon injury in a hind leg kept him sidelined until he was five, but he strung together four consecutive victories before his career was again interrupted. He later finished sixth in the Champions Sprint at Flemington but another tendon issue sustained in the Meteorite halted his momentum. More recently, Racing Victoria vets withdrew him from a Caulfield race in July, ruling him lame, before he returned triumphantly in the Listed Carlyon Stakes last month.

For co-trainer Troy Corstens, Saturday’s result was career-defining. “He’s fragile, and you never know what’s around the corner. That makes this win so special,” he said. Will Larkin echoed the sentiment, describing the effort as “quite emotional” after the countless hours spent nursing the horse back to health.

Allen, meanwhile, was elated to collect his third Group 1. “During the run I was cursing, thinking how impossible these Valley Group 1s are. But he’s got that will to win. Each of these victories feels better than the last.”

With his resilience and brilliance on display, Baraqiel’s Moir Stakes win stands as a testament to perseverance and patience, rewarding connections for their unwavering belief in the gelding.