LEAP OF FAITH IN BAPTIST
Barry chases biggest cup yet
GRAND campaigner Barry The Baptist could be on the road to Ballarat for yet another country cup.
The gelding has raced in country cups at 17 of his 50 starts, and will be in action at Ballarat on Saturday a week after claiming the Dunkeld Cup in heavy conditions.
Stawell trainer Paul Jones hopes Barry The Baptist sneaks into the Ballarat Cup field, but a Benchmark 84 race on Saturday’s card will provide a fine back-up plan.
Jones also entered Barry The Baptist for the Penshurst Cup but he all but ruled out that race.
“We’ll just see how the weights come up because we’re not sure whether he’ll get a run in the (Ballarat) Cup yet,” Jones said.
Should he do so, the $500,000 contest will be the gelding’s fifth country cup start of the year.
Barry The Baptist finished second in his hometown cup at Stawell in April before tackling the cups at Avoca, Ararat and Dunkeld at his past three runs.
“He had three weeks between Avoca and Ararat, but he backed up in six days from Ararat to Dunkeld,” Jones said.
“I think he’ll be fine to back up this week. He’s an eight-year-old now and he’ll be fairly seasoned.”
Barry The Baptist has been a superb money-spinner for connections.
He has earned more than $470,000 in prizemoney and bonuses, almost 30 times his $16,000 price tag as a yearling.
“He’s done a good job with the prizemoney he’s won,” Jones said.
“We bought him at the VOBIS Gold sales, so we’ve targeted some of those races, which has helped his prizemoney along the way.
“He’s been a great moneyspinner for the owners and doesn’t owe them anything.”
TAB posted Barry The Baptist as a $51 chance in its opening “all-in” market on the Ballarat Cup.
But Jones noted Barry The Baptist had pulled out big runs at long odds in previous feature events.
Barry The Baptist finished half a length from Mahamedeis at $51 in the $250,000 VOBIS Gold Heath at Caulfield in April, while he was also unlucky when a $12 chance in last year’s Werribee Cup.
“He’s still on the up and just hitting his straps this time in,” Jones said.
“He’s raced in good races against well-performed horses and gone well.
“He could easily go there and run a good race. He’s had a few runs at Ballarat and seems to like the track.
“If he happened to draw a barrier and get a nice run, I’m sure he’ll give a good sight.”
Jones hoped the Ballarat Cup formed part of a long campaign for Barry The Baptist.
The trainer is eyeing off another crack at the Werribee Cup (2000m) next month, while the Pakenham Cup (2500m) is also a possibility.