WITH the Cheltenham Festival now 43 days away, the Sun Racing team will be bringing you their ‘Festival 50’ every day between now and 10 March.
We will salute the Prestbury Park heroes that made us fall in love with the Festival, all the way until the ‘Cheltenham roar’ signals that the wait is finally over.
Number 43: Baracouda
Mr Consistent, the Punters’ Pal, the French King. The list of potential nicknames for Francois Doumen’s staying star were endless.
You really could set your watch by him, and not just at the Festival. Only on his final ever start did he finish out of the top two.
His career lasted six years, where he won 18 races in 26 starts, with six Grade 1s to his name.
Now residing at JP McManus’s Martinstown Stud, Baracouda was a Festival regular, winning two Stayers’ Hurdles and finishing second twice, to Iris’s Gift and Inglis Drever.
Baracouda’s first Festival foray was in 2002 and punters were quick to latch on to his talent. He went off the 13-8 favourite – not that he was a secret to fans on these shores, having already notched up a Long Walk and Rendelsham Hurdles amongst other big pots.
It was far from a vintage year for stayers, but Baracouda did what was needed, winning by a neck from Bannow Bay.
There looked to be very little in the way of chinks in the armour even if jockey and son of trainer Thierry Doumen ensured there was somewhat of a scare.
Doumen kept Baracouda in the rear for much of the race and picked his way through late on. He was determined not to use his whip and had his horse not done enough, a rider with his fair share of critics may have copped a heap more.
But it was the 2003 renewal we saw the beast at his best. Doumen hit the front much sooner this year and marked the birth of his son only a couple of days before in style.
It was a much hotter race this time around. Both Limestone Lad and Iris’s Gift ensured a true test of his staying credentials. He kept his crown with a terrific display.
Iris’s Gift got the better of him in 2004, while in 2005 he was runner-up once more as the quick ground meant Inglis Drever came out on top.
He had one more go under AP McCoy in 2006 but could only manage fifth. The curtains were closed on a memorable career and he goes down as one of the best ever to come from France.
Merci, Baracouda.
