BARRENGARRY GOES FOR GOLD CUP, RAILS BARRIER OR NOT

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THE horse comes first and not the money!

Kembla Grange trainer Joe Ible has explained why he is passing up a chance to win a $10m feature with Barrengarryat Royal Randwick on Saturday, and instead line up in the $750,000 Listed Sydney Gold Cup (2000m).

Ible today withdrew the talented four-year-old from the Group 1 Golden Eagle (1500m), even after plucking the No 1 marble out of the barrel at last night’s barrier draw at Sydney’s Langham Hotel.

“Of course it was very tempting to have a crack at the Golden Eagle, and I feel he would run a super race,” he said this afternoon.

“But the owners and myself discussed it over and over last night and again this morning, and we feel we have made the right decision.

“The main point was that we have placed Barrengarrycarefully right throughout his eight-start career so far, and we didn’t want to change that.

“The Gold Cup has been our focus for some time.

“Barrengarry would have been coming back from the 2000m of his last start and, realistically, I don’t feel he could have beaten the favorite Sheza Alibi ($1.90) in the Golden Eagle.

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“But I do think he has a great chance in the Gold Cup.

“His last run when narrowly beaten by Anthracite (who won again at Randwick last Saturday) in a Benchmark 88 Handicap at Rosehill Gardens (at his first attempt at 2000m) was terrific.

“And he has trained on well since.”

Barrengarry carried 55.5kg at Rosehill, and drops 2.5kg.

Dylan Gibbons takes over on Barrengarry after Zac Lloyd, who has partnered the young Kembla stayer in all of his four wins, took the mount on Irish import Perisher, an impressive first-up Australian winner for Chad Schofield over 1500m at a midweek Rosehill meeting on October 14.

However Perisher has been withdrawn, and Barrengarry is the new favorite at $4.20 with TAB.com.au.

Ironically, Barrengarry also drew the inside barrier for Saturday’s Benchmark 78 Handicap (2000m), but has been pulled out of that race as well.

Ible also accepted with another smart four-year-old Cabbuciofor the Benchmark 78 Handicap (1500m) on Saturday, but has held off declaring her a definite runner.

He plans to also accept with the mare for Tuesday’s Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1800m) at Randwick’s Big Dance meeting.

“I’ll wait until Friday to see how Tuesday’s field shapes up before making a decision,” Ible said.

Alysha Collett, who would have ridden Barrengarry in the Golden Eagle, has been booked for Cabbucio on Saturday.

Newcastle trainers Mark Minervini and Kris Lees were winners in separate States today.

Minervini was the sole provincial winner on the six-event program, and knocked many Quaddie players out when $31 outsider Hanau took the first leg, the Benchmark 78 Handicap (1400m).

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Lees’ apprentice Will Stanley rode Hanau; the pair having also teamed for a 1400m victory at the same track in March on a ‘Soft 6’ track; today’s surface was a ‘Soft 5’.

Lees’ Tasoraay (Michael Rodd) gamely won the Benchmark 72 Handicap (1300m) at Eagle Farm as a $3 favorite.

Tasoraay, who earlier in the year contested a couple of Provincial-Midway Championship Qualifiers, had run third at Eagle Farm on October 3 to fellow Newcastle trainer Jason Deamer’s Spaceballs, who lines up in Saturday’s $500,000 Four Pillars Midway (1500m) at Randwick.

. HOOFNOTE: Ible has confirmed a donation will be made to the charity partner Barrengarry would have raced for in the Golden Eagle if he wins or places in the Gold Cup.

“We are happy to donate $10,000 to Street Side Medics if Barrengarry wins the Cup,” Ible said.

“Even if he doesn’t win, we will definitely give some support to the charity.”

STORY JOHN CURTIS, OCTOBER 28, 2026 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS