Talented Home Affairs colt Barracks is very much a work in progress, but ability is certainly not lacking and he showed that at Rosehill on Wednesday when leading all the way to beat the race favourite Affari, who is also by Home Affairs.
The Chris Waller trained filly Affari has been second at her three previous starts this preparation in metro maidens and again filled the roll of bridesmaid when she couldn’t bridge the gap to catch Barracks.
A big strapping colt trained by Ciaron Maher, Barracks was first up from a spell following a three start juvenile season that produced a pair of second placings and a fourth in the Listed BRC Dalrello Stakes won by The Next Episode.
With two trials under his belt, Barracks surged forward for Nash Rawiller to lead and despite Affari having superior race fitness he was able to hold on and win the 1200m maiden by three-quarters of a length.
“He’s going to be a nice horse and has got better as he’s gone along,” said Nash Rawiller.
“We’re learning about him as we go along and to his credit once he got the lead he pricked his ears and used his high cruising speed and kicked well.
“Hopefully in six months time when he gets out over seven furlongs he will be a nice horse.”
Stable representative Johann Gerard-Dubord agreed with Rawiller that Barracks has a bright future.
“Whether it’s this prep or later on, he definitely has Black Type ability, but he is a long way off being at his best,” he said.
“As you saw before the race, he had a good sweat today and still does a few things wrong, so we will see how he pulls up first and then decide if he goes to Black Type now or we go through his grades."
Barracks was a $420,000 Magic Millions purchase for Ciaron Maher Bloodstock from the Cressfield draft and is a half-brother to Group III placed Spring Lee being the fifth winner from six foals to race from Group II winning sprinter Wild Rain.
Cressfield sold a Zoustar colt from Wild Rain at Magic Millions this year to Bennett Racing and she has foaled already this spring producing a filly by Home Affairs.
