Well-bred three-year-old My Ultimate Barney has next month’s Group 1 Woodlands Stud Victoria Derby in his sights after outclassing the older horses in the Hygain Victory Pace at Melton on Saturday night.
Sent out a $2.10 favourite, My Ultimate Barney led effortlessly from his favorable draw, and after reeling off a 26.6 back straight quarter, the son of Downbytheseaside surged clear approaching the home turn before scoring by five metres from No Notthebuttons in a mile rate of 1:54.9.
Driver Kate Gath explained the horse on her outside, Calexico, upped the tempo in the back straight.
“Damien (Wilson) growled at his horse and we just took off, but off the back my horse was full of running and I still had hold of him at that stage. And while he was jogging, 26 quarters up the back are a good way to get beaten,” Gath said.
“He’s been stiff in his draws and his past half a dozen starts. Apart from one or two where he’s been off a bit, he’s been terrific.”
Gath believes recent racing at Melton against older rivals should stand the horse in good stead for the three-year-old feature races.
“I really like him and think he’ll measure up against the good ones on the fence. He’s a really quality horse,” she said.
“He’s had some solid racing in metro class, and even though it hasn’t been right up in grade, he’s been three wide early and parked over the long trip, so he is a little bit seasoned which is good when you are heading into a race like the Derby.”
Emerging four-year-old mare Jilliby Ballerini is en route to the feature trotting events after posting back-to-back wins at Melton.
Jilliby Ballerini ($1.60 fav) wrested the lead off her stablemate Aldebaran Vera with a lap to travel, and the daughter of Majestic Son left her rivals standing off the back before being eased down to score by 17 metres in a mile rate of 1:55.0.
The win completed a training double for Marg and Paddy Lee, who are currently sitting in third place on the Metropolitan Trainer Premiership.
Driver Jason Lee acknowledged the stable’s emergence on the metropolitan scene this season.
“Mum and Paddy and all the team at home have done a great job with all the team, and over the last six to 12 months we’ve had a really good base of metro horses to bring down here,” Lee said.
Jilliby Ballerini has now won seven of her past nine starts at Melton.
“She’s probably been screwed down a little more for this race, and as the big races come around and the big guns are getting ready to come back, she’s going to have to be even a little better…,” he said.
David Miles admits he may need to cast his eye over the upcoming feature mares’ races after Look Like Diamonds posted back-to-back wins at Melton.
Look Like Diamonds managed to work to the lead in the Nevele R Stud Pace, and despite being headed by the $2.80 favourite Sir Jimmy in the home straight, the four-year-old fought back tenaciously to score by a head from the sprint-laning Louie Lou I.
“That was tough, and when Sir Jimmy headed me at the 150, I thought I might have been cooked. But she just pinned her ears back and she wasn’t going to let him past,” Miles said.
“We’ve got to try and find some classic races for her now that she’s getting up in class. What that means, I’m not quite sure, so we’d better go back and have a look at the feature race program, but I’m just so proud of her.”
