Barney Roy Back After Failed Stud Duties

Barney Roy Back After Failed Stud Duties

Old fan favourite Barney Roy will make his return to the racetrack at the scene of his greatest triumph, when tackling the Listed Paradise Stakes - a trial for the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot on Wednesday afternoon.

His career as a stallion somewhat failed after proving infertile at stud, and will now be trained by Charlie Appleby and not by former boss Richard Hannon.

The son of Excelebration was initially purchased by Godolphin after scoring on his only start as a juvenile in 2016 and went onto become a leading figure in the following season's 2,000 Guineas field after victory in the Greenham.

He finished a good second to the Aidan O'Brien-trained and strong favourite Churchill - form he reversed stylishly in the Group One St James Palace at Royal Ascot.

The five-year-old had some memorable clashes and tussles with the dual Guineas winner along with Sir Michael Stoute's Ulysses - the three all fighting out the finish in the £1 million Juddmonte International at York.

He finished his Classic campaign beating just one home in the Champion Stakes behind Cracksman - the first of his two victories in the race, and as for Barney, an exciting four-year-old campaign beckoned for him.

However, it was announced he would stand as a stallion at Dalham Hall for 2018, but after things did not go to plan, he was gelded and sent to last year's Derby winning trainers' Moulton Paddocks operation.

(Credit: Racing Post) Appleby said: "Barney Roy had a soft tissue injury at the end of his three-year-old career, I believe, which meant he was tried at stud, but unfortunately he proved infertile.

"The pre-training operation have done a great job with him and we've had him seven or eight weeks. He's been back in full training and has been going nicely. He doesn't seem to have lost his enthusiasm for it.

"He's a very talented horse and time will tell if he's still in love with the game. The plan is to start him off at Ascot next week and take it from there."

Appleby opted to not send Lincoln winner Auxerre for the same contest, on what looks a fantastic day's racing in Berkshire; Ascot's first flat meeting of the year.

Calyx returns for last year's Champion Trainer John Gosden after bypassing this weekend's Guineas, ten months after his win in the Coventry Stakes to now tackle the Merriebelle Stable Commonwealth Cup Trial - better known as the Pavilion Stakes.

The feature race on the afternoon is the Group Three Longines Sagaro Stakes, where Scottish Champion Hurdler Verdana Blue continues on her quest on the flat for Nicky Henderson.

Lady Aurelia's half-sister Lady Pauline, also trained by Wesley Ward, is another star attraction to keep an eye on - she makes her second career start in the Royal Ascot Two-Year-Old Trial Conditions Stakes over the flying five furlongs, looking to follow up her runaway victory on debut at Keeneland.