ASCOT WINNER DOWNS DIAMOND
Turf Club treasurer hails Merchant Navy’s victory at Royal Ascot
THE horse that won the prestigious Diamond Jubilee Stakes at England’s Royal Ascot was bred here on the Darling Downs.
In what is being hailed as a win for Toowoomba’s racing community, three-year-old colt Merchant Navy just pipped City Light to win the famous 1200m sprint feature on Saturday.
The horse was bred by Toowoomba chiropractor Chris Barham and wife Jane, who still have a stake in it.
It was then sold to Ciaron Maher in 2016 before being taken to the facility of legendary Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien, who turned it into an Ascot winner.
MERCHANT Navy’s last-gasp victory in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot was a win for Toowoomba’s horse breeding community.
That’s according to Toowoomba Turf Club treasurer Bob Frappell, who hailed the work of Darling Downs breeders Chris and Jane Barham for producing a champion horse.
The three-year-old colt and jockey Ryan Moore beat a tough field to finish first in the coveted English sprint race on Saturday.
The victory, the fourth by an Australian horse and the first since Black Cavier in 2012 in the race’s history, was trainer Aidan O’Brien’s biggest win at Royal Ascot this year.
Merchant Navy was bred by the Barhams, who own a chiropractor’s clinic in Toowoomba, and sold through Segenhoe Stud for $350,000 to previous trainer Ciaron Maher in 2016.
The couple was trackside at Royal Ascot with Mr Maher celebrating the famous win, according to a friend.
Mr Frappell said the horse had almost unbeatable pedigree, with top stud Fastnet Rock siring him.
“That is one of the best breeding horses around (Fastnet Rock) – that horse was out of a really good mare and sire,” he said.
But he said that shouldn’t undermine the enormity of the achievement by Mr O’Brien, Mr Turner and the Barhams.
“They’ve done a good job, those guys. It’s proof that people are doing great things here,” Mr Frappell said.
“It’s a fantastic result for Australia and the Darling Downs.
“Royal Ascot is very prestigious, because that’s the heritage of racing in England.
“It’s the pinnacle – it’s terrific to get to those race meets.”
Mr Frappell said he believed the horse could go onto more Group One wins across the world.
Deputy Mayor Carol Taylor also congratulated Merchant Navy on the win.
“Bred in our beautiful Toowoomba region. Three-yearold in Oz but weighted as a four-year-old in Europe. Courageous win,” she tweeted.