Barzinho sizzles to cup victory

Barzinho is primed for a crack at a country cups treble after his slashing two-length win in Sunday’s $35,000 TABtouch Mt Barker Cup (2000m) at the Mt Barker Turf Club on Sunday afternoon.

Starting a $6.60 chance on the tote, Barzinho settled near last in running before sweeping around the field at the top of the home straight and sprinting home sharply to notch a comfortable win on the line.

It was the first Mt Barker Cup victory for in-form metropolitan trainer Chris Gangemi and also the first for jockey Jarrad Noske, and the result was also the first victory for Barzinho beyond 1675m.

Gangemi said his rising five-year-old was now set to tackle the upcoming Albany Cup (2100m) and Geraldton Cup (2100m) after his maiden staying success.

“He’ll head to the Albany Cup in a couple of weeks and then the Geraldton Cup,” Gangemi said.

“They are two weeks out and after today look ideal races for him.

“This wasn’t planned a long way out. We saw the race a couple of weeks ago and my brother has always thought he might not stay.

“Jarrad and I were always confident he would get over ground.

“Jarrad went back on him and he had them covered a long way out.”

It was the third start back from a spell for the Hussonet gelding after finishing fourth behind talented galloper Jeraft first up and then running seventh to Nelson’s Flight over 1500m at Ascot on March 3.

Noske was given permission to ride half a kilo overweight in the feature, but the 56kg was never a worry for Barzinho as he shot clear inside the final 100m to down Master Magician, while $3.20 favourite Rhino Buster was held up in the home straight but finished third, beaten by 2¼ lengths.

It was a costly win for Noske, however, after he was fined $500 by stewards for a whip breach in the cup.

Barzinho will now be a strong contender in the $100,000 Albany Cup on April 1 and then in the $100,000 Geraldton Cup a fortnight later.

Meanwhile, Nanga Parbat continued his terrific recent form by winning the Skyracing.tv Provincial Championship Series Heat (1300m) for Collie trainer Chris Gilbert.

The five-year-old sprinter has won three of his past nine starts, including two at Mt Barker, and raced clear in the straight for hoop Renee Forrest before holding off a late lunge from Zedfire Express to win by a long neck.