Racing
Waiting game with Baraqiel
On the comeback from injury, Baraqiel is entered for a Stakes race at Caulfield.
The Leon and Troy Corstens and Will Larkin stable will wait as long as possible before committing to a start with Baraqiel in a Stakes race at Caulfield.
Baraqiel is one of 12 nominations for the Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) on Saturday with entries extended until 10am on Tuesday.
Nominations include three from the James Cummings stable – Kin, Kallos and Inhibitions – along with New York Lustre and Shadhavar.
Troy Corstens said he would have preferred Saturday's race to be 1100m as Baraqiel is about to embark on his latest comeback from injury.
Baraqiel suffered a hind suspensory injury before he had raced, which delayed his debut until his five-year-old season, while at his last start at Cranbourne, when finishing third in The Meteorite, he suffered another similar injury, this time to a front leg.
The sprinter did his rehabilitation at the stable's 'farm' at Benalla and took advantage of the hyperbaric chamber to aid his recovery.
A winner of six of his 10 starts, Baraqiel showed he was on target for his return with a jump-out victory at Flemington last Friday, where he defeated Lindsay Park sprinter Arkansaw Kid.
"I was pretty happy with his jump-out," Corstens said.
"It was a busy morning, and he ran the second quickest heat of the morning.
"He did have a really good puff afterwards and he'll be going into the race off a long break so whatever he does, I'll be very careful in telling his owners that he'll improve into the campaign.
"His fitness levels are good, it's not perfect but that's to be expected for the amount of time that he's had off.
"This is his proper second prep and he's come through that jump-out well. I'm looking forward to seeing where he can take us.
"I would have loved it to be 1100 metres, then I'd be a bit more confident, but at the 1200 metres, he's going to be fresh, and he'll take a stack of fitness from it."
Corstens said the team had circled the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on AFL Grand Final eve as the sprinter's main spring goal.
He said how many runs Baraqiel had leading into that race would be determined if the sprinter commences his campaign on Saturday or whether it is delayed.
"We're working backwards from the Manikato," Corstens said
"How we get there, we'll see. If we kick him on Saturday will determine whether we have three runs into the Manikato or two.
"We'll see how he is and go from there."
Ben Allen will ride Baraqiel on Saturday.
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