Jockey Jim Byrne is expecting the talented Outback Barbie to get a change of luck when she resumes for her Summer Campaign in the Listed $125,000 Mark Cotterell Master Jeweller Mode Stakes (1200m) at Doomben on Saturday.
Outback Barbie, above in green and white colours, running second to Fiesta in the Silver Shadow Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.
Brisbane leading trainer Tony Gollan campaigned Outback Barbie in Sydney during the Spring Carnival but the Spirit Of Boom filly was luckless and returned to Brisbane with one placing from three starts, a second in the Group 2 $200,000 Darley Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on August 18.
Byrne was aboard Outback Barbie for her last run in Sydney when seventh to Miss Fabulass in the Group 2 $200,000 Darley Tea Rose Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on September 15 and while the filly didn’t figure in the finish, the top Brisbane hoop is confident that the trip away will help her when she returns to the track over the Summer.
“I think she’s going to have a real good summer,” Byrne told The Courier-Mail.
“While she didn’t get a win on the board, (the trip) matured her a lot more.
“She’s quite mellow now, doesn’t get as aggressive. She just needs those barriers where you can take luck out of the equation.”
Outback Barbie had luckless runs from wide barriers at her last two starts in Sydney but Byrne will be able to get all the favours from barrier five in the sixteen horse Mode Stakes field.
Gollan has given Outback Barbie one barrier trial in preparation for her return to the race track and she disposed of her opposition with ease over 1000m at Doomben on November 20.
“In her trial the other day, I was just underneath them and she just switched down,” Byrne said.
“She was chasing down a Goldmarket winner in Raido and she beat him softly.”
Outback Barbie has been installed the $2.60 favourite for the Mode Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au ahead of Michael Costa trained filly Malahide at $6 and Chris Waller’s filly Voila at $8.50.
Malahide is also resuming and showed before a spell that she had plenty of ability with two wins from two starts in June, a Maiden win at the Gold Coast followed by a win at Doomben in a 1200m two year old Plate.
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