For a horse with as much talent as Barassi it seems amazing that he had not won a race until today, but the Toby and Trent Edmonds trained five year-old son of I Am Invincible broke the ice in spectacular fashion winning the $250,000 Magic Millions Maiden (1100m) at the Gold Coast by daylight.
Barassi had won three barrier trials between 2021 and November last year, but did not make it to the races until December 20 when he finished third on debut in a Class 1 at Doomben as favourite.
Fitter for the run and ideally drawn in gate one with Craig Williams to ride, Barassi gave nothing else a chance, steaming to the front and powering clear to win by more than four lengths.
“We thought this would have come years ago, but it’s good to finally be able to do it,” said an emotional Toby Edmonds, who was the original trainer of his sire I Am Invincible.
“He’s a serious horse as you’ve seen today, so it’s quite exciting. He’s had minor things (go wrong), but they’ve been minor things that take time. He’s a magic horse, probably the best horse I’ve had for a long time.”
Edmonds is in no rush with Barassi having waited so long and will give the horse a short break while he plans his next move.
A $300,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Yarraman Park draft for Edmonds Racing/Kestrel Thoroughbreds, Barassi runs for an ownership group that includes Yarraman Park. He is the fifth winner from five foals to race from Group III placed Commands mare Calming Influence, a daughter of stakes-winner Calming.
Yarraman Park will offer 35 yearlings at Magic Millions next week, 12 of them by champion sire I Am Invincible, who had a winning treble at Randwick with Shaken, Kinloch and Buillt..
