Unbeaten Perth sprint star Barakey will have a Group One autumn campaign in Melbourne with the Oakleigh Plate and the Newmarket Handicap as his targets.
Barakey passed his biggest test in Saturday’s Group One Winterbottom (1200m) at Ascot to win for the 11th time and reinforce his claims to take on the eastern states features.
Trainer Jim Taylor has already sounded out Racing Victoria chief handicapper Greg Carpenter about the weights Barakey would be expected to carry.
“I spoke to Greg Carpenter and he said he’d get in fairly well, not far off the minimum in the Oakleigh and the Newmarket,” Taylor told Sky’s Racing Retro.
“He has always done us proud. Yesterday was a big test to beat the eastern states horses.
“There’s nothing left for him here now so he’ll have a spell and get ready for the autumn in Melbourne.”
Barakey beat Power Princess by half a length with Queensland sprinter Spirit Of Boom another nose third and consistent Sydneysider Pinwheel fourth.
Taylor was the original trainer of this year’s Newmarket winner Hay List who has come closer than most to champion Black Caviar.
Comparisons to Black Caviar, the winner of all 22 of her starts, are starting to emerge but the two are unlikely to clash in the autumn.
“Down the track we might look at it,” Taylor said.
“There has been a fair bit of pressure to keep his unbeaten run going and if we can be second best I’ll be happy.”
Taylor said he believed Barakey could eventually be extended to 1400 metres.
“If we took the blinkers off him I’m sure he could,” he said.
Barakey’s sire Key Business won four races from 1000 to 1200 metres while his mother Dance Hi was the winner of five races from 1300 to 1600 metres.
