BARRENGARRY PUTTING BARRENGARRY ON THE MAP

JOE Ible says he will have to rethink a spring program for a young horse who is well and truly putting the little village he is named after on the map.

The Kembla Grange trainer was rapt with lightly-raced Barrengarry ($5.50), who made a brilliant return at Royal Randwick yesterday in the Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1400m).

Ridden by Zac Lloyd, the four-year-old son of Ghaiyyath drew the outside barrier, never saw the inside rail and still finished off with style to take his record to three wins from only six starts.

Ible knew plenty about Barrengarry’s background when he secured him for $10,000 at the 2024 Inglis Ready2Race sale.

He had trained the gelding’s dam Bella Amante (by Pins) when based at Canberra, and won three races with her.

“She had a lot of potential, but unfortunately had a lot of issues,” Ible said last night after returning home from Randwick.

“Being by Ghaiyyath (crowned the world’s best racehorse in 2020 after four dominant Group 1 triumphs), I thought Barrengarry was worth a gamble.”

It’s no longer a gamble.

Barrengarry, named after the small village in the Southern Highlands of NSW (where Ible’s father and part-owner Darrell lives), has now earned 14 times that initial outlay – with a real likelihood of much more to come.

Ible Racing races Barrengarry in partnership with Darrell Ible’s friend Jack Pither.

“I was confident he was forward enough to run well first-up, but at the same time knew he would take improvement from the race,” Ible said.

“That was a pretty good performance.

“Barrengarry keeps getting better each preparation, and I believe he will be better again after this campaign.

“I had been thinking he would be even better suited in a fortnight in a 1600m Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap back at Randwick.

“Now we will have to see how the handicapper treats his benchmark rating (68 prior to yesterday’s win).

“There are a few options, but in the back of my mind I would like to run him in the Coongy Cup (2000m) at the Caulfield Cup carnival next month.

“It’s a Group 3 race, and I feel it would be good experience looking ahead to next autumn.” STORY BY JOHN CURTIS, SEPTEMBER 6, 2026. PIC BRADLEY PHOTOS.