Godolphin's Barney Roy seals another Group 1 win in Germany

Jockey Doyle guides Appleby-trained six-year-old to victory in the Grosser Preis von Baden

James Doyle guides Barney Roy, centre,  to victory in the Grosser Preis von Baden. Getty

Godoplhin's Barney Roy bagged the Group 1 Grosser Preis von Baden in Germany to record his fourth career prize at the highest level.

James Doyle produced a well-timed run on the Charlie Appleby-trained six-year-old Excelebration gelding to win from Communique in the silks of the Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed by a length and-a-quarter over the 12-furlong trip.

It was a prize won by Ghaiyyath, the world's highest rated horse this year, by 14 lengths for the same connections 12 months ago.

“We are delighted to see Barney Roy win another Group 1 race in his extended career,” Appleby told the godolphin.com.

“He has established himself as a real favourite in the yard and, now that we know he stays a mile and a half, it can hopefully open up a few more doors for him.

“A trip to Canada for the Group 1 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes (Woodbine, 18 October), which we won with Old Persian last year, could potentially be on the cards for him now.”

Barney Roy was victorious for the second time in three visits to Germany. He was successful in the Group 1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis at Munich on July 26 and was fourth in the Group 1 Preis von Europa at Cologne last month.

He raced in fifth on the outside of the eight runners before moving up a place after the first half-mile. He quickened strongly for Doyle as the whole field came over to the stands’ rail entering the straight and picked up in good style to challenge long-time leader Mark Johnston’s Communique with Franny Norton in the saddle for the lead a furlong and a half from home.

The German Derby runner up Torquator Tasso under Bauyrzhan Murzabayev was a further neck behind in third.

“It looked a strong race on paper and the field appeared to be quite closely matched, with the German Derby form and a few from Barney Roy’s previous races all tied in,” Doyle said after riding Godolphin’s 14th Group 1 winner for the year worldwide.

“He was much better on the ground today. It was a bit testing at Cologne but it had dried out here. It still wasn’t his perfect racing surface but he got away with it.”

Elsewhere at the Curragh, Dubai’s Sheikh Mohammed Obaid’s Fujaira Prince had to settle for silver behind Dermont Weld’s Search For A Song in the Group 1 Irish St Leger.

It appeared Andrea Atzeni on Fujaira Prince had the race until Oisin Orr pushed Search For A Song clear in the final 150 yards to win by two lengths.