Future uncertain for sprinter Baraqiel

Group 1-winning sprinter Baraqiel faces retirement after suffering a sesamoid injury in Saturday’s William Reid Stakes at Caulfield.

The rising eight-year-old, who is trained by Leon and Troy Corstens and Will Larkin, ran fifth in the Group 1 race but it later emerged after the race that the gelding had pulled up sore.

It continues Baraqiel’s injury-plagued career with the sprinter racing just 15 times for eight wins, hightled by last spring’s Moir Stakes at Flemington.

The Bennett Racing-owned gelding, who made a belated start to his career as a five-year-old at Sale in April 2024, will undergo surgery with a final decision on whether another attempt at a comeback to racing to be made after his early rehabilitation.

Baraqiel was to head to Perth next month for Western Australian racing’s $5 million slot race The Quokka.