Aatute Tasmanian harness racing trainer Dick Eaves almost heaved a sigh of relief when his former star three-year-old filly Barynya returned to somewhere near her best form to win the $20,000 George Johnson feature races' race at UBET Park Hobart on Sunday.
Barynya was an outstanding two-year-old and was even better at three, winning the Tasmanian and Victorian Oaks that earned her the Australia 3YO filly of the year title.
But she lost form and became a work in progress for Eaves.
On Sunday she showed she could be on track to tackle some of the best mares' races in the nation coming from last to storm home and win the George Johnson which is one of the most prestigious mares' events on the national calendar.
"We've had our share of issues with this mare for a while but there's no doubt in my mind that she is getting back to where she needs to be to be competitive in the better mares races," Eaves said.
Barynya returned to racing from a decent spell in the City of Launceston Cup over 2579 metres last Sunday week in which she finished a respectable seventh.
"We had to start her off somewhere and with restricted options she had to go around in the Launceston Cup over 2700 metres which was a tough ask for a first-up assignment."
"But we looked after her and today she's produced what I expected."
"That's the best way to drive her. Settle her at the back and come from behind with one decent sprint."
"A couple of times in Victoria she was driven tough and did plenty of work but that's not how to get the best from her," he said.
Eaves has plans to tackle some of the best mares' races on the calendar.
"We will aim her at the Ladyship Mile in Sydney and there's a couple of real good mares races in Melbourne so that's where she will most likely be heading but in the meantime we'll tackle a couple of free-for-alls at home before she heads interstate," Eaves said.
Peter Staples