Hero comes to the party at Moonee Valley

Saturday, 31 January 2015

Owner-breeder Peter Carrick relived the glory days when Barcode won the Advanced Mailing Solutions Hcp (1200m) at Moonee Valley on Friday.

Barcode (4g Kaphero – Crimson Code by Redoute’s Choice) is a homebred for Carrick and came to town for a hat-trick after recent victories at Echuca and Mornington. Trained by Robert Smerdon, he races in the same red and lime diagonal striped colours as his sire Kaphero.

“We loved Kaphero and he just loved this place,” Carrick said. “He was Moonee Valley’s Horse of the Year in 2008.”

Kaphero was bred by Swettenham Stud’s Adam Sangster and Carrick bought him for $340,000 at the Gold Coast Magic Millions. A real stand-out on looks, he is by Danehill’s Golden Slipper winner Danzero and descends from one of Swettenham’s most successful families.

His dam Kapchat was a Group 1 winner of the Winfield Classic at Rosehill and is closely related to recently deceased Champion NZ sire O’Reilly.

Kaphero started out with Lee Freedman and won the LR Blue Diamond Preview (1000m) in a scintillating 55.82s. He then cleared out for four-length victory in the Adelaide Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m).

Transferred to Leon Corstens, he won six in a row at Moonee Valley culminating in the G3 McEwen Stakes (1000m). He added a Group 1 placing in the Manikato Stakes (1200m) before returning home to stand at Swettenham Stud.

“I’ll never forget the thrills Kaphero gave us at Moonee Valley,” Carrick recalled. “And it’s great to see Barcode come to the party tonight.”