Having just his second start for his new connections after being purchased for $215,000 from the Godolphin draft at last year’s Inglis Digital December Online Sale, Exceed And Excel gelding Barber captured the $250,000 Listed Takeover Target Stakes (1200m) at Gosford.
Secured by Monarch Bloodstock’s Jason Micallef, Barber was sent to Richard Litt to train and recorded a first up third recently at Canterbury, before progressing to Saturday’s black type victory.
Already a winner of the Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) off the back of success in the Kirkham Plate and $1m Golden Gift when under the care of James Cummings, the 4yo gelding looks to have plenty of upside for connections who have earned back a large portion of his recent purchase price in just the two starts for the stable.
Settling in fifth position in the run behind the Scott Asprey trained Uzziah (Outreach), jockey Tyler Schiller found himself three wide as he and Aaron Bullock aboard the Kris Less trained Brudenell (Russian Revolution) took off to make their runs before the turn.
As this pair pulled clear of the rest of the field to battle it out down the straight, Barber managed to get his nose down on the line when it mattered with Brudenell narrowly back in second.
Spacewalk (Exosphere), a former stablemate of the winner, continued his solid recent form, charging into third narrowly ahead of the Ciaron Maher’s race favourite Warnie (IRE) (Highland Reel) in fourth.
With a trip to Queensland now on the cards, where he holds nominations for next weekend's Doomben 10,000 (1200m) and next month's Stradbroke Handicap (1400m), Litt was worried in the run when the 4yo was trapped wide.
"He's a wonderful horse. He ran extremely well first-up at Canterbury and was probably a little bit unlucky," Litt said.
"Today, I couldn't watch when he was three-wide. I bowed my head and thought, oh well, what will be will be, and it was good to see him tough it out."
Finding success with other ex-Godolphin gallopers such as Morton's Fork, Sedition and Huon, Litt can now add Barber to that ever-growing list.
"They (Godolphin) are wonderful to buy off. You know what you're getting, they're great horses, James (Cummings) is a wonderful trainer and they have a great team," he said.
"They're very transparent and from my point of view I'm very lucky to be able to buy them."
“The Monarch boys have been great supporters of mine and the ex-Godolphin horses I’ve either purchased or been given to train off Inglis Digital have been a wonderful bunch of horses for my stable, there’s been Stakes winners and plenty of Saturday and Wednesday winners too,’’ Litt said.
A full-brother to the Group 3 How Now Stakes winner Manicure, Barber is the final foal of the Group 3 Research Stakes-winning Lonhro mare Trim who died in 2020.
Barber is one of 219 international stakes winner for Darley’s now retired Champion Sire Exceed And Excel, who will be represented by a colt and a filly from his final crop at the upcoming Magic Millions National Weanling Sale.
