Baracouda, the four-time Long Walk Hurdle winner and twin Stayers’ Hurdle hero, has died on the age of 28.
Handled beautifully properly by Francois Doumen and ridden for almost all of his profession by the coach’s son, Thierry, Baracouda was seen extra in Britain than France after his preliminary foray in 2000.
That first journey throughout the Channel noticed him beat Deano’s Beeno by 15 lengths within the Long Walk at Ascot – after which he was purchased by JP McManus – and he adopted up within the National Spirit at Fontwell.
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Baracouda and Thierry Doumen
Unfortunately he was denied his first Cheltenham Festival look by the foot and mouth illness so in March 2001 he had his final French outing, successful at Auteuil.
At the top of that marketing campaign Baracouda did get to show his price at Sandown in a race which was successfully a alternative for the Stayers’ Hurdle.
The following season he gained the Ascot Hurdle, one other Long Walk, the Rendlesham and held off Bannow Bay in an exhilarating Stayers’ Hurdle.
Denied a 3rd Long Walk Hurdle in 2002 by a masterclass from Tony McCoy on outdated rival Deano’s Beeno, he nonetheless beat Iris’s Gift to land his second Cheltenham Festival win.
He was to win two extra Long Walks, the latter at Windsor, however he couldn’t fairly add his listing to people who gained the Stayers’ Hurdle 3 times, ending second to Iris’s Gift in 2004 and Inglis Drever in 2005, by which era McCoy had taken over within the saddle for the ultimate 5 races of his profession.
McManus’ racing supervisor Frank Berry mentioned: “He was a celebrity. We have been very fortunate to have him, he gave us some nice days and the Doumens did a terrific job with him.
“He was 28 and he was very wholesome up till currently. He loved his time in Martinstown (McManus’ stud in Ireland).
“I believe he was one of many ones who put staying hurdling again on the map huge time. It was a division that went underneath the radar, however he lit it up as a result of he was coming over from France for the Long Walk yearly and stored placing up huge performances.
“It was unlucky he missed his first Cheltenham due to foot and mouth, in any other case who is aware of, he might have gained that too.”
