Bayrir To Resume In Gardenia Handicap

Imported stayer Bayrir will start what is set to be a lengthy campaign in the Gardenia Handicap (1400m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Bayrir finished second behind stablemate Coup Ay Tee in his Australian racing debut in the Winter Challenge last year.

Bayrir finished second behind stablemate Coup Ay Tee in his Australian racing debut in the Winter Challenge last year. Photo by: Steve Hart

Bayrir raced at the highest level in Europe and North American when prepared by Melbourne Cup winning trainer Alain De Royer-Dupre, winning the Group 1 Secretariat Stakes (2011m) in the United States, but made a slow start to his racing career in Australia.

The Medicean entire made his Australian racing debut with a narrow second place finish behind Coup Ay Tee in the Listed Winter Challenge (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on August 3 and failed to fire in the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) or Group 2 Hill Stakes (2000m) during the 2013 Sydney Spring Racing Carnival.

Waller believes that Bayrir has plenty of talent and is hopeful that he can follow in the path of stablemate Foreteller by stepping up to Group level and contesting races like the Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington on March 8 and Group 1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 22 during the 2014 Autumn Racing Carnival.

“He is going well and he is up for a long preparation,” Waller said.

“I am sort of following a model that we did with Foreteller last prep.

“He ran second on debut, he ended up winning third-up down in Melbourne, was unplaced in the Australian Cup and won the Ranvet and continued all the way through to Queensland.

“We will do something similar for Bayrir.

“He is a good horse and we just have to place him in the right races to get him some confidence and get him to win some races.”

Bayrir recorded four wins from eight starts when prepared by De Royer-Dupre in France, taking out the Group 2 2012 Prix Eugene Adam (2000m), and was far from disgraced when finishing second in the 2012 editions of the Group 2 Prix Niel (2400m), tenth behind Solemia in the Group 1 Prix De l’Arc De Triomphe (2400m) and sixth behind Red Cadeaux in the Group 1 Hong Kong Vase (2400m).

Last start winner Mecir ($3.30) is currently a narrow favourite in 2014 Gardenia Handicap betting markets from the resuming Under The Sun ($3.40), Gerald Ryan-trained Red Excitement ($4.10), Gonski gelding Skip Town ($7.50) and Takeover Target Stakes placegetter My Destiny ($9), while Bayrir is available at a quote of $12.

About The Author

Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.