Excelebration's Barney Roy Takes the Greenham In Style

By

ROY'S THE BOY
This year's 2000 Guineas is shaping into one of the best in recent times now that another fascinating contender has entered the mix in Godolphin's winter acquisition Barney Roy (GB) (Excelebration {Ire}), who captured Saturday's G3 JLT Greenham S. at Newbury with the kind of commitment required to make a difference in that Newmarket Classic. Sent off the 5-2 second favourite, the bay who was the striking winner of a mile maiden on his only start at Haydock in September tracked the pace up the centre under James Doyle but looked booked for second as fellow Godolphin representative and 9-4 favourite Dream Castle (GB) (Frankel {GB}) went into the lead passing the two-furlong pole. Replying to the whip to gather in that rival with 150 yards remaining, he surged clear in the run to the line to register a commanding two-length success with ears pricked, as the solid yardstick Zainhom (Street Cry {Ire}) fared best of the well-beaten remainder four lengths away. “It was a funny sort of race, as they steadied it in front and then set it alight to get racing a long way down and I was slightly concerned three down,” Doyle explained. “Once I have him a couple of taps his stride pattern changed and he got lower to the ground and lengthened and galloped right through the line. He's crying out for a step up to a mile and will stay beyond that, no problem. He was still having a look after the line and will learn so much from that.”

Saturday, Newbury, Britain
JLT GREENHAM S.-G3, £60,000, NBY, 4-22, 3yo, c/g, 7fT, 1:23.08, g/f.
1–#@BARNEY ROY (GB), 126, c, 3, by Excelebration (Ire)
1st Dam: Alina (Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Cheyenne Star (Ire), by Mujahid
3rd Dam: Charita (Ire), by Lycius
(30,000gns Wlg '14 TATFOA; £70,000 Ylg '15 DNPRM). O-Godolphin; B-Eliza Park International Pty Ltd (GB); T-Richard Hannon; J-James Doyle. £34,026. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $49,131. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Dream Castle (GB), 126, c, 3, Frankel (GB)">Frankel (GB)–Sand Vixen (GB), by Dubawi (Ire). O-Godolphin; B-Darley (GB); T-Saeed bin Suroor. £12,900.
3–Zainhom, 126, c, 3, Street Cry (Ire)–Kaseema, by Storm Cat. O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum; B-Shadwell Farm LLC (KY); T-Sir Michael Stoute. £6,456.[bullet ad=”us-bred-ky-bred”]Margins: 2, 4, HD. Odds: 2.50, 2.25, 8.00.
Also Ran: Kings Gift (Ire), Via Serendipity (GB), Sea Fox (Ire), Make Time (Ire), Mr Scaramanga (GB), Lord Cooper (GB), War Secretary. Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
It was in this race six years ago that Frankel first encountered Excelebration and he duly brushed aside that top-class opponent by four lengths before returning here to make the margin five as they squared up again 13 months later in this track's feature G1 Lockinge S. Frankel's Dream Castle, who had over-raced initially without cover stuck out towards the stand's side, was let down by Oisin Murphy inside the final quarter mile and it looked temporarily as if the familiar pattern would be repeated through their sons. As Excelebration had so cruelly been time after time when taking on the Juddmonte tartar, Barney Roy appeared to be coming off second-best in the battle of the royal blue but those who recalled the Hannon representative's stirring finish at Haydock on his debut may not have panicked. As he demonstrated at Doncaster earlier in the month, the favourite's forte is speed, being out of the sprinter Sand Vixen (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and as soon as Barney Roy found his stride the complexion of the race changed completely. Dream Castle may have been paying for his effort from the two to the one, but once the winner was past him he ate up the ground with relish to record the third-fastest time in the Greenham in the last 30 years, eclipsed only by the same stable's Dick Turpin (Ire) (Arakan) in 2010 and star sprinter Muhaarar (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) two years ago.

For trainer Richard Hannon, it was a first Greenham in his own name after he took over from Hannon Sr who enjoys the joint record of six successes alongside the late Sir Henry Cecil. Yet another relatively cheap purchase to emerge as a top-class prospect from East Everleigh, Barney Roy will head to the May 6 Newmarket highlight as a leading protagonist alongside Churchill (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Al Wukair (Ire) (Dream Ahead) and Eminent (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) in a race of many intriguing angles. “He has relaxed enormously, as he was a little bit keen, and in fairness that is more or less down to Sean Levey,” Hannon explained. “I was a bit worried coming back from a mile to seven and you can see why, as he just took his time getting going. I thought he was in trouble four down then he went 'whoosh'. I've liked him for a long time, though. He has got a chance of going to the Guineas. He will get a trip as well now that he is more relaxed. I did say in the summer he might get a Derby trip, whether he gets that far I don't know. I definitely think he will stay further, but a strong-run mile will suit him well.”

Saeed bin Suroor was far from downcast about Dream Castle, who was only making his debut three weeks ago and he commented, “I think he was too keen in the race. He is a horse that needs to settle. His options are open and we will talk to Sheikh Mohammed. There are options in the French and English Guineas and even the Irish Guineas.” Angus Gold, racing manager to Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, said of Zainhom, “He wants easier ground and further. Jim [Crowley] and Sir Michael were happy enough. He is a great big, heavy horse that wants ease in the ground. I don't think he has ever had the speed to be a real genuine miler, as I am sure he wants further. We are certainly not thinking of the Guineas on that. We will let the dust settle then talk to Sir Michael.”

Barney Roy is the first foal out of a daughter of the G3 Ridgewood Pearl S. and G3 Brownstown S. winner Cheyenne Star who was unplaced in two starts over a mile and nine furlongs for Freddy Head. The third dam Charita, who was a listed winner at a mile, is a half-sister to the G2 Premio Emilio Turati winner and G1 Premio Vittorio di Capua runner-up Stanott (Ire) (Mukaddamah) and counts among her descendants the G1 Haydock Sprint Cup, G1 Prix de la Foret and G1 George Ryder S. hero Gordon Lord Byron (Ire) (Byron {GB}). Also from the family of champions Capote and Exceller, Alina also has a 2-year-old filly by Dark Angel (Ire) named Wisdom Mind (Ire) and a yearling filly by Kodiac (Ire).

 

Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.

Copy Article Link

X

Never miss another story from the TDN

Click Here to sign up for a free subscription.