Talented young Queensland harness racing driver Hayden Barnes is hot property at the moment, with recent victories in two States.
A last-stride win at Armidale, NSW, on Sunday afternoon with My Secret Torque (Auckland Reactor– Ella Palms (Speed King) gave the likeable 23-year-old five wins in just four days.
“Yes, it’s certainly been an awesome week. Three of the wins were for the boss (dad/trainer Alastair, of Marburg) so everything is going along nicely,” Barnes said.
“We were happy to get the win at Armidale because it was a 12-hour return trip. Fortunately, My Secret Torque put in a dive at the finish line to score by the narrowest of margins,” he said.
The winning roll started at Redcliffe on Thursday afternoon when Barnes combined with trainer Brett Cargill to score with Grizzly Montana (Lanercost-Pearl Of Montana (Art Major).
On the following day at Albion Park, he posted a winning double for his father Alastair with former Kiwi pair Trojan Banner (Bettors Delight-Caitlin Banner (Washington VC) and Lincolns Girl (Lincoln Royal-Tania Tandias (Falcon Seelster).
And then on Saturday night at Brisbane headquarters again, Barnes was back into it, keeping a smile on his dad’s face, steering four-year-old Lincoln Road (a full brother to Lincoln’s Girl) to victory in the opening event.
The trip to Armidale, with a pair of Chantal Turpin-trained stablemates, saw Barnes making his driving debut on the 770-metre circuit, in a meeting that was another of the NSW harness racing showcase, Carnival of Cups.
“It’s a good set-up and I’ll remember my first visit with the win, that’s for sure,” he said.
“I copped a check in the early bit and found myself last, probably 30 metres off the leaders. But the horse felt enormous and I wasn’t concerned in taking off three wide to make a run because I had to get into it.”
My Secret Torque scooted around the field fairly quickly to join the leaders. Just when it looked like the mare was about to take control, the leader Roll With Tricky (Sam Ison) got a second wind and fought back doggedly.
The pair went head and head down the home straight, with the Queensland visitor grabbing a slim victory.
“We hit the line together, but I thought I’d just won. I think My Secret Torque had one last kick when it counted,” Barnes said.
“The race was worth $7650 and came with a free stallion service donated by the Seymours, which was just perfect because the owner Ian Carazzol is a keen breeder as well.”
Hayden Barnes
Barnes said trainer Chantal Turpin and her partner Pete McMullen were unable to make the 500 km trip to Armidale.
“They had a christening ceremony for their daughter Olivia, but I was happy to take the horses for them,” he said.
“It was a bit disappointing that I had to retire their other runner Bells Beach House in the Armidale Cup, but that’s racing.”
Barnes was forced to pull the horse out of the feature event after getting a flat tyre in the backwash of a scrimmage on the first corner, when driver Andrew Millard was tipped out.
The $10,200 Cup was taken out by a roughie in $31 chance Our Major Day (Major In Art-Diligent Miss (D M Dillinger) for Richard (trainer) and Dayl (driver) March. Stablemate Clintal Do was runner up.
Terry Gange
NewsAlert PR Mildura