Racing
Take two for Baraqiel
After being scratched recently on veterinary grounds, Baraqiel is ready for a sprint contest at Moonee Valley.
The Leon and Troy and Will Larkin stable have earned their training fees with the preparation of Baraqiel.
The recently turned seven-year-old has had a history of leg problems throughout his career that has restricted the gelding to just 10 starts, for six wins.
Baraqiel was down to run in the Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on July 26 but was scratched following a pre-race trot after his arrival on course, which was due to be his first run since pulling up sore when third in The Meteorite (1200m) at Cranbourne last November.
The gelding needs to tick one more box on Friday to start again after the Corstens and Larkin stable, along with their vet, went to the Racing Victoria veterinary team in a bid to get Baraqiel cleared to race.
The gelding is set to run in the Listed Norman Carlyon Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday having been reinstated by RV earlier in the month.
Larkin said the RV vets at Caulfield on Bletchingly Stakes Day consideredBaraqiel lame in the near foreleg in a pre-race trot up and order his withdrawal from the race.
"He's a seven-year-old gelding who has had multiple issues throughout his career, so he was never going to trot up perfect," Larkin said.
"It was a matter of the vets not knowing him, it's not their fault, because on face value when you see him trot up for the first time, he doesn't look too fluent and that's the reason they made that decision.
"We've been back to Racing Victoria and tried to come up with a protocol, so these things don't happen again.
"It was frustrating and embarrassing for the team."
Baraqiel suffered a tendon injury to a hind leg before he had raced, which delayed his debut until his five-year-old season.
Then after his placing at Cranbourne last November, he suffered a suspensory injury to a foreleg.
Larkin said all scans subsequently had showed that Baraqiel had no issues from his latest injury.
"Now we have just one trot up to do the back end of this week," Larkin said.
"They (RV vets) will be there with our vets to speak through the process.
"Our vet has worked for us for five years. She knows him very well and wouldn't clear him if there was an issue."
With Baraqiel's injury woes hopefully behind him, Larkin is looking forward to seeing the sprinter back at the races on Saturday.
Baraqiel showed he was ready for a tilt at the Norman Carlyon Stakes with a jump-out victory at Flemington on August 8, which followed earlier jump-outs at Werribee and Flemington.
"He's been very good since his last jump out so there's no reason why he can't be very competitive on Saturday," Larkin said.
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