Jenny
Barnes

Oakbank
2002

27/03/02 Heroes and Warriors - Clipsal Stakes

Bar Flyer was a bay gelding foaled in 1985 sired by Lipman from Flying Lulu. Flying Lulu was also the dam of star sprinter Barcurra who won the Hills Railway Stakes in 1991. Owned by T Bartholomew he was trained at the Goolwa stables of Robert Fartch. Bar Flyer started his career an early three-year-old running second to Swift Avenger in a Gawler Maiden. He was then third behind Queen of Brooklyn in a Murray Bridge Maiden before again running third at Morphettville behind Dunyasha. Two weeks later Bar Flyer deadheated with Watchful Lady in an Open Handicap over 1100m before running fourth to Silver Dupion and second to Jala in the Bonfield Handicap, all at Morphettville. Sent for a spell Bar Flyer resumed at Oakbank in an Open Handicap where he ran third beaten two lengths by Daze and Prosperous Lady after meeting interference at the start. He was then unplaced twice before a short break. Resuming in early June Bar Flyer won the Golliwog Handicap by a length to Jungle Tales with 1 ½ lengths to Panorama Grey third. He then won a Flying Handicap at Murray Bridge before a fifth behind Worthy Regent at Victoria Park down the straight 1000m. A spell followed and the four-year-old resumed on New Year's Day with a third to Fine Regent and Worthy Regent in a Flying at Morphettville. Seventh to Beau George he was then third to Storm Wedge in a Flying at Morphettville beaten less than 1 ½ lengths. Consistent without breaking through Bar Flyer was placed behind speedster Prince Anton and Storm Wedge before deadheating for third with Silver Dupion in Listed class over 1600m at Victoria Park. Unplaced in the City of Adelaide Stakes Bar Flyer was then spelled. Resuming at five years he won his third run from the break in defeating Portrait and Aforesaid in a Flying at Cheltenham. He then headed to Victoria for the Great Western on Melbourne Cup day and ran into trouble in the run finishing unplaced behind Power of Destiny and Procul Harem. Unplaced on returning to Adelaide he then went for a spell. At his first run back Bar Flyer was second to Welcome Knight in a 1000m Flying at Victoria Park in late April before running fifth at Listed level over the Adelaide Cup Carnival. Campaigning through winter he was fourth to Word Game at Cheltenham before second to Kirksite at Cheltenham with Oh Brother third and second to Farewell to Spring beaten a half length over 1200m at Morphettville with Zephyr Alco Bay third. Following a deadheat third at Victoria Park Bar Flyer finally found winning form in an Open Handicap at Cheltenham where he defeated Above Deck with Moorook third.

He was then third to Miss Deborah over 1200m at Morphettville before handling the step up in competition when second to Ivory Way with Shavano Miss third and Rockets Galore fourth in a Flying at Victoria Park. A short let up followed before Bar Flyer took his place in the Group 3 Spring Stakes at Morphettville. Bar Flyer slipped in the going by the 400m but still was part of the close finish, where Beau George got the judge's decision by a nose from Feeling with Bar Flyer a neck away third as Run Straight Run was fourth. Bar Flyer then lined up in a Welter at Cheltenham a fortnight later to win by a half length from King's Pavilion with Nouvelle third. Striking bad interference he was well back in the Morphettville Sprint before winning a Flying at Cheltenham from Sweet Chariot with Cote Normandie third.

Given a let up Bar Flyer headed to Oakbank for the second time for the CUB (now Clipsal) Stakes. As 3/1 equal favourite he shouldered 55.5kg to win by nearly two lengths from lightweights St Clemens (50kg), Lynton Star (51kg) and Paint The Wildwood (51kg). Bar Flyer then headed to the sprint races of the Cup Carnival running third in the DC McKay Stakes to Scornsome and Umatilla with Street Ruffian fourth. A sixth behind Euclase, Dapper's Hope and Cogitate followed before he ran fourth behind Grandiose in a Flying at Cheltenham. Bar Flyer then went to Melbourne to run fourth behind Prince Ormenium and Big Dermott at Flemington over 1400m. Returning to Adelaide Bar Flyer started as 2/1 favourite to win a Flying Handicap by two lengths from Economy and Purple Curse with Scornsome fourth. A third behind Prince Fager and Toy Rani followed in a Welter at Victoria Park before Bar Flyer finished third as favourite in the Listed WH Wylie Handicap to Colebrook and Bronzed Appeal. Bar Flyer was again third to Purple Curse in an Open Handicap at Victoria Park. An unplaced effort in the Spring Stakes followed before Bar Flyer headed out for a spell.

Bar Flyer resumed in a blanket finish to a Flying at Victoria Park on March 20 1993 where Romantic Ranger and Feeling deadheated with a head to Gently Bently with a neck to Bar Flyer in fourth. Back to Oakbank he was a close sixth to Gently Bently in the Adelaide Casino Stakes (Clipsal Stakes) before running third to Fappiano's Girl and Colebrook in a Flying at Victoria Park. Bar Flyer was then fifth in the DC McKay Stakes behind Colebrook, Asian Incline and Oozook before a short let up. In June Bar Flyer was third to Manduke and Prince Azur then unplaced at Morphettville followed by a third a Cheltenham behind Vagabond's Gift and Paint the Wildwood. Back to Morphettville he was second to John's Courage over 1200m at Morphettville before being spelled soon after. The now eight-year-old had two runs had before another short break and a return to racing in late February 1994. After running fourth to All Silent at Victoria Park Bar Flyer returned to winning form in a Flying at Cheltenham where he defeated Transplant Lad by a head with a nose to Torrid Weather third.

Bar Flyer then headed back to Oakbank for his third attempt at the Adelaide Casino (Clipsal) Stakes. Starting at 16/1 Bar Flyer defied his odds in running second beaten less than a length behind Ambala (who went on to win a Goodwood Handicap) with Manduke third. Unplaced at his next start Bar Flyer was then beaten just over three lengths at Listed level behind Pay The Kings during the Cup Carnival. A third in a Flying to Hero Wind and Kicks followed before a third at Cheltenham behind Hero Wind and Red Hope. A week later Bar Flyer was fifth before a let up and then beaten a head by Manduke in a Flying at Mophettville. Another let up was followed by victory in a 1000m Flying at Cheltenham over Hero Wind with a gap to Roxy Dancer in third place. Freshened again Bar Flyer was fifth behind Fighter Bay and Hero Wind at Morphettville then third to Daring Hombre and Scornsome with Hero Wind fourth at Cheltenham. A further three runs for a fourth and two fifths led to a spell over the summer.

Bar Flyer resumed at Oakbank trying to win his second Adelaide Casino Stakes (Clipsal Stakes) as a nine-year-old. In another close finish Bar Flyer was too good for his opposition winning by a long neck from Sunforth with Shanty Creek third a head away. He then finished well back in two subsequent runs before a fourth to Red Hope at Cheltenham. After a break of 10 weeks Bar Flyer returned to racing as a ten-year-old with a second to Major Wilkes in a 1000m Flying at Cheltenham with Pride of Athlone third and Paddington End fourth. Four weeks later he was fifth beaten less than two lengths over 1000m at Cheltenham behind Red Hope, Fighter Bay and Sunforth. Bar Flyer had his final run five weeks later in October 1995 when finishing well back in a Flying won by Just A Comedy. Overall Bar Flyer had 83 starts for 13 wins, 11 seconds and an incredible 21 thirds.

In 2000 the Clipsal Stakes, as the Hills Railway is now known, was won by Flight Pattern who went on to race successfully in Dubai while last year the race was taken out by Point Danger who subsequently went to Melbourne during the current racing season for the Group 1 sprint races often finishing with the leading divisions. This success of recent winners bodes well for the promising sprinter that is successful in the race in 2002.

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