Tony and Cheryl Barron love returning home to Southland and winning races.
It was the perfect scenario for them today at Gore when Global Domination beat a small but handy field of three year olds in The Cardrona Distillery/MLT Three Year Old Stakes.
In doing so he also set a new three year old and all-comers track record.
The winning time was 2-39.8.The previous record of 2-40.7 was held by the Cran Dalgety trained Art Union and was set in 2015.
By Bettor’s Delight out of Christy Breanna, Global Domination was bred by Tony Barron and after qualifying last November won his first three starts before running eighth then fifth in Sire Stakes Heats at Addington.
“He probably got there a bit early as far as the grades go. We werent scared to take on the big boys. He didn’t disgrace himself getting within four lengths (when he ran fifth behind Ultimate Sniper),” said Barron.
In today’s three year old feature driver Matty Williamson (who was driving him for the first time) took an early trail behind pacemaker and favourite Robyns Playboy. As they approached the winning post for the first time Global Domination jumped footprints on the track (mine), broke, and came down pacing.
“He’s always been a funny bugger like that. I had the shadow roll right up. It’s just a part of the breed. They’ve all done it.”
Robyns Playboy took Global Domination to the Kubala Seeds Passing Lane and once balanced he came up the inside running line to beat Fear Cruisin by half a length with Cast No Shadow another half a length back in third.
Win, lose or draw today, Barron said Global Domination is going out for a spell.
“I took a blood test off him last week and he’s getting over a bug. I just wanted to get a start in him for the Supremacy (Southern Supremacy Stakes). So that one is out of the way and a bit of money in the bank.”
Global Domination is out of the six win Lis Mara mare Christy Breanna, which Barron also trained.
Peter Marshall and the Barron family have had success with this breed over a few decades.
“I think he’s the best one. The whole family have been nice horses and they’ve got better and better but I think this fella’s a notch up. Time will tell.”
Winning connections – Photo Bruce Stewart
Tony with wife Cheryl have scaled down their operation since Tony and his brother Ken decided to train separately. Tony and Cheryl are training between seven and ten horses and are currently preparing five colts for the February Sales. Tony’s pick is a Bettor’s Delights colt out of Elite Medley which is from the same family as today’s winner.
There is also a full brother to Global Domination called Calatural Damage later in the sale.
The Cardrona Distillery/MLT Three Year Old Stakes is an attempt by the Gore club to resonrecte the Tanqueray Stakes which was run on the course in the mid 1970’s and early 1980’s.
The Tanqueray Stakes for three year olds was first run in 1974 when hot favourite Lunar Chance ($1.75 and $0.95) driven by Keith Lawlor won beating Flying Tempest and Eclipse.
The race was run for eleven seasons with other winners were Bronze Regal (1975), Monarque (1976), Islafax (1977), Hurricane Squire (1978), Shona Way (1979), Ryal Pont (1980), Auburn Bret (1981), Trilobal (1982) Starling (1983) and North Fleet (1984).
In 1980 it was afforded Group Two status.
Once the Southland Oaks (1983) and Southern Supremacy (1984) became part of the Southland racing calendar the race was discontinued.
Islafax caused the biggest upset in 1977 when she beat Sapling and Belmer’s Image. She was owned by local Harness Racing identity Ken McRae and trained and driven by Ray Todd. She paid $71.65 and $11.50. The race that year was raced for $5,250 by far the biggest stake of the day.
Many also remembered the 1978 edition when Hurricane Squire trained and driven by Richard Brosnan beat the mighty Lord Module.
Meanwhile Majestic Man won his sixth races when he held out arch rival War Admiral in the Gore Mitre 10 Handicap Trot.
Bruce Stewart