Ex-Godolphin gelding on Target for another stakes win
Buying Godolphin cast-offs like Barber is a no-brainer for trainer Richard Litt and he's hoping his new addition can show exactly why in Saturday's Listed $250,000 Takeover Target Stakes (1200m) at Gosford.
Litt's connections Monarch Racing Syndications bought Barber for $215,000 at an Inglis Digital auction in December last year after the son of Exceed And Excel had his first 15 starts for 'The Blue Army'.
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Barber won a $1 million Golden Gift and Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude as a two-year-old with Godolphin before being put up for sale midway through his four-year-old season.
Litt has had city success with former Godolphin gallopers like Balkans, Huon, Sedition, Destination and Morton's Fork with Barber in line to add himself to the list at Gosford's stand-alone.
'They are wonderful to buy off, they are all nice horses,' Litt said.
'They are well bred, they've had a good start to life and you know you are getting a sound horse.
'It's a no-brainer for me.'
Barber was unlucky not to get his first win on the board at his first start for Litt when he got out late and surged home in Benchmark 94 grade over 1100m at Canterbury Park.
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'We were very happy with his first start for us,' Litt said.
'We were expecting plenty from him and thought he could have won that race but unfortunately it didn't work out that well.
'He was unlucky there but that's alright. He's got 53kg, is drawn OK and has stripped a bit fitter.
'He likes the 1200m and loves a soft track.'
Barber was also nominated for the Listed Australian Club Trophy (1200m) at the Gold Coast but a wide draw made Litt's decision to stay closer to home an easy one.
Tyler Schiller will link up with Barber ($12) in the Takeover Target.
The gelding also holds nominations for the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 and Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap in Queensland during the winter carnival.
'You never know but I would love to think he can get to those sort of races,' Litt said.
Originally published as Former Godolphin galloper Barber is looking to give his rivals a snip in the Takeover Target Stakes
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