Godolphin's Barney Roy takes on progressive Patrick Sarsfield for Group 1 prize

Godolphin’s Barney Roy bids for a third top-level success in the Bayerisches Zuchtrennen at Munich on Sunday.

The Charlie Appleby-trained six-year-old is the mount of William Buick and returned from a 102-day layoff with a fair third behind Lord North in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot last month.

Barney Roy, who won the St James’s Palace Stakes when trained by Richard Hannon in 2017, has scored on all three starts outside of Britain with a Listed success at Longchamp last year before wins in Group 1 and Group 2 company at Meydan during the winter.

Barney Roy wins the Group 1 Jebel Hatta with a very fast last three furlongs

Appleby also runs the James Doyle-ridden Spotify, who was third behind Barney Roy in the Jebel Hatta but finished last of six in the Listed Gala Stakes at Sandown this month.

Appleby said: “Barney Roy put up a decent performance on ground that was slower than ideal in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes. He came out of the race well and this has always been the target since. He goes there in good shape and a repeat of his runs so far this year should make him the one to beat.

“Spotify was a consistent horse out in Dubai but disappointed at Sandown. We’ve put a line through that run and he doesn’t look out of place in this field on the pick of his form.”

Joseph O’Brien saddles the highly progressive Patrick Sarsfield, the winner of his last four starts, most recently when landing the Group 3 Meld Stakes at Leopardstown.

Patrick Sarsfield impressively lands the Meld Stakes on his first attempt at Group 3 level

O’Brien said of Adrie de Vries’s mount: “Barney Roy is a very good horse and is a legitimate opponent, but it's Patrick Sarsfield's first run in a Group 1 and he's earned his place. The conditions should suit.

"He's always had a good profile and is getting a chance to show it now. He's improving nicely and we're happy with him."

Quest The Moon, a Group 2 winner at Baden-Baden in May, and recent Gran Premio di Milano scorer Durance are the pick of the home challenge in the seven-runner field.

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