Sydney Autumn Carnival offers Barrengarry first Group test

A recent hiccup occurred a couple of Saturdays past for Barrengarry, but the three-year-old gelding now has his opportunity in a Group event at Randwick this Saturday in the Sydney Autumn Carnival.

He'll seek to advance his form in the $250,000 Frank Packer Plate (2000m).

The Group 3 feature is scheduled two weeks post the Carbine Club Stakes, an event Barrengarry accepted for but was scratched from owing to a small ailment, with Kembla Grange-based trainer Joe Ible eager for the big-race challenge.

"He was in to run in the Carbine a week ago but he just wasn't 100 percent so we scratched him," the Kembla Grange trainer said.

"He looks like he's bounced back nicely. He had a good trial on Friday at Canterbury.

"Horses like this are what we get out of bed every day and do it for. To have a horse like him walk in the stable, it certainly invigorates you and gets you going."

Barrengarry goes for a treble of successes against competition including Eureka Rebel from the Tulloch Stakes second, Providence who was runner-up in the Moonee Valley Vase, and Carbine Club Stakes placers Matias and Olympian in third and fourth spots this weekend.

Such swift advancement is unexpected for the son of Ghaiyyath, who debuted with fourth in a 1200m Nowra maiden last November.

Subsequently, on February 17 at his local track over 1400m he ran third, then claimed maiden status impressively over 1600m at Newcastle March 6, followed by a 1500m Midway triumph over seasoned horses at Rosehill March 21.

Since then, his sole public gallop was last Friday's easy 1100m heat where he was fifth of seven, defeated by a touch more than four lengths.

The gelding's swift maturation has both astonished and motivated Ible, who may elevate ambitions further this prep if Saturday brings a strong showing.

"He's always shown us something, but I wouldn't have thought he'd be getting there as quickly as he has," Ible said.

"The way he's progressed this preparation, he still looks a bit backward and his mannerisms are a bit immature, so out of this preparation you start to think about what the future could be.

"If he was to go out and perform as we hope (this weekend) there's a chance we'll end up in Brisbane."

That northern raid would target the $1 million Group 1 Queensland Derby (2400m), set for Eagle Farm May 30.

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