First Stakes Win for Barb Raider

Mark Smith - Saturday February 19

A perfectly timed ride by Craig Williams on Barb Raider paved the way for the admirably honest three-year-old daughter of Rebel Raider to open her stakes account in Saturday’s Group III The Vanity (1400m) at Flemington.

Barb Raider she's a beauty (image Grant Courtney)

Trained by Jerome Hunter, Barb Raider ambushed the leaders in the final 200m to defeat the Sebring filly Cardigan Queen by three-quarter of a length with the Turn Me Loose filly Ancient Girl a head further back in third.

Third in the Group 1 Thousand Guineas at Caulfield last spring, Barb Raider advances her record to three wins, a second and two thirds from seven starts with earnings of $302,250.

It was the biggest win to date for an emotional Jerome Hunter.

“It’s just sensational. So much hard work at home, all the staff and track riders, we’re a good team,” Hunter said.

“It’s paid off. We’re not the biggest stable but we certainly try our hardest.

“You hope they come back and this whole preparation she’s done everything one hundred per cent. Just her demeanour as well.

“We’ll keep going. Find a mile race and hopefully go to Sydney if she is good enough.

Advertisement

“We will think about the Australian Guineas, but I like winning races easy rather than knocking on the door.”

Williams believes that the daughter of Rebel Raider has progessed from the spring.

Not the last stakes for Barb Raider (image grant Courtney)

“I do love her maturity and her natural progression from her first preparation until coming into the autumn. She goes around to the start with no pony, is still a bit inclined to want to go lefthanded, but nowhere near as bad as she was at the end of her first preparation.

“She’s very effective on soft ground as well and today’s track is absolutely perfect. I think the options are there for the owner and Jerome and looking forward to seeing where they target her.”

A homebred for Graebar Park's Graeme Gathercole, Barb Raider is the first foal of the winning Host (ARG) mare Graebarb, who hails from the family of the wonderful producer's Halo Again and her daughter She's Discreet.

Graebarb has a 2yo colt named Graewazi, one of four foals left by the obscure Our Wazi an unraced half-brother by Choisir to the Listed winner Belwazi.

Graebarb foaled a Squamosa filly last spring before being covered by Prized Icon.

Advertisment

Race Result - The Tab Vanity Gr3 1400m

Flemington Track: Good(4) Time: 1:22.66
1
Barb Raider
- 3f Rebel Raider (AUS) x Graebarb (AUS) (Host (CHI))
Tnr: Jerome Hunter Rdr: Craig Williams 56
2
0.8
Cardigan Queen
- 3f Sebring (AUS) x Queen Of Eight (AUS) (Haradasun (AUS))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: John Allen 57
Sebring
3
1.0
Ancient Girl
- 3f Turn Me Loose (NZ) x Herculaneum (NZ) (Elusive City (USA))
Tnr: C W McDonald Rdr: Jye McNeil 56
4
1.1
Socialist
- 3f Capitalist (AUS) x Baby Corn (AUS) (Exceed And Excel (AUS))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: Jamie Kah 56
5
4.0
Minouche
- 3f Written Tycoon (AUS) x Amoret (AUS) (Snitzel (AUS))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: D Oliver 57
6
4.1
Rioyuki
- 3f Fighting Sun (AUS) x Rose Syrah (AUS) (Testa Rossa (AUS))
Tnr: M J Williams Rdr: Damian Lane 57
7
4.3
Throntari
- 3f Alpine Eagle (AUS) x Must Be Mink (AUS) (Musket (AUS))
Tnr: R Griffiths & M De Kock Rdr: Damien Thornton 56
8
4.5
Genuinely
- 3f Tivaci (AUS) x Heartfelt (NZ) (O'Reilly (NZ))
Tnr: John McArdle Rdr: J Mott 56
9
8.8
Tiara Jewel
- 3f Hallowed Crown (AUS) x Ray Of Sun (AUS) (Rock Of Gibraltar (IRE))
Tnr: A W Noonan Rdr: J Noonan 56
More Reading...
Wootton Bassett Set to Blast Out of Winter
Many people may have anticipated Wootton Bassett (GB) would have been our Champion Australian First Season Sire last season and while that didn’t quite eventuate, he did finish the season with a wealth of horses holding spring potential and several were in action at the trials this morning.
First Godolphin Winner for Maher
Champion trainer Ciaron Maher saddled his first winner for Godolphin at Kembla on Thursday and he did it with a blue-blood colt by Too Darn Hot (GB).
Sires With Winners - Thursday August 7
Here is the full list of 36 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Extremely Good Week!
It’s been a memorable week for Star Thoroughbreds having sold their multiple Group winning mare Olentia for $2.6million and then the purple and white stars were back in the winner’s circle at Canterbury on Wednesday carried by 3YO Extreme Choice colt Estremo.
A Family Affair - Russian Camelot Filly Salutes at Sandown
Danny O’Brien enjoyed Group I success with outstanding colt Russian Camelot (IRE), so was understandably excited to produce his first metropolitan winner as a sire at Sandown on Wednesday and Censori comes from a family that he knows inside and out.
First Foal for Hilal Delights Grangewilliam Stud
The first foal by Grangewilliam Stud’s Group Two winner and multiple Group One performer Hilal arrived on Thursday morning with a filly born out of the well-related No Nay Never mare La Frox.
Hunter Plots an Oaks Challenge for Barb Raider
A positive ride by Craig Williams on Barb Raider saw the daughter of Rebel Raider repel the challenges of the royally bred pair Argentia and Mokulua in Saturday’s $300,000 Group II Kewney Stakes (1600m) at Flemington.
Barb Raider Digs Deep In The Roses
Courageous filly Barb Raider needed to dig deep to add Saturday’s  Group II ANZ Bloodstock News The Roses at Eagle Farm to a seasonal tally that includes the VRC A V Kewney Stakes and Group III The Vanity.
Zoustar Entering the Zenith
The dictionary tells us Zenith is an astronomical term —describing the highest point in an arc travelled by a star, planet or another celestial body- and in the case of this story it’s planet Zoustar!
Racing’s Night of Champions August 28
45 of the top horses in Australia will be recognised for outstanding performances during the 2024/2025 racing season at Racing’s Night of Champions.