Barney Roy toughs it out in G1 Grosser Preis von Baden

Barney Roy secured a second major victory in Germany this season and a fourth career G1 success with a tenacious effort in the Grosser Preis von Baden at Baden-Baden on Sunday, 13 September.

This year’s G1 Jebel Hatta Sponsored By Emirates Airline victor had captured the 10-furlong G1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis at Munich in July and was making a second straight appearance over a mile and a half after finishing a close fourth in the G1 Preis von Europa at Cologne in August.

The Charlie Appleby-trained six-year-old 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 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 before gamely asserting over Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum’s Communique in the closing stages for a length and a quarter verdict.

Charlie Appleby said: “We are delighted to see Barney Roy win another G1 race in his extended career. He has established himself as a real favourite 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 G1 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes (Woodbine, Sunday, 18 October), which we won with Old Persian last year, could potentially be on the cards for him now.

James Doyle added: “It looked a strong race on paper and the field appeared to be quite closely matched, with the German Derby 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.”