Jackie hopes to Delight in building on Barker tradition at Horsham

Young reinswoman Jackie Barker can add a special element to an already decorated family harness racing history in The Weekly Advertiser Horsham Pacing Cup on Sunday.

She is striving to become a third generation Barker to drive a winner of the 2700-metre feature race, with her father Rod and grandfather Jim having put their names on the $60,000 event’s honour roll before Jackie was born.

A Gordon Rothacker Medallist, Jim scored on Mandika Man in 1983 and Rod saluted on another Barker stable runner, Athol Bret, in 1987.

“Oh really,” was Barker's surprised response when realising the opportunity she had for a unique achievement in the Cup. “That’s pretty cool.”

“They’re probably the most important races for me to try and win, the ones that Dad and Pop have been successful in.”

Barker said while the wins were well before her time, Mandika Man and Athol Bret were horses she was well aware of.

“They’re both horses which have been talked about a lot in our family over the years and are very special to Dad and Pop.”

The Team Teal ambassador said it would also be great to drive a Group 2 winner, something she was yet to achieve.

The Hamilton 25-year-old will have the reins on Demon Delight – one of three runners for Cardigan trainer Emma Stewart, who had her fifth win in the race with Mach Dan last year.

This will be her second drive of the six-year-old after finishing fifth in the Terang Co-Op Pacing Cup on Saturday night.

Demon Delight led but was swamped in the closing stages by the likes of stablemates Like A Wildfire and Phoenix Prince, who quinellaed the event.

Barker said the effort required to retain the front when challenged by Willie Go West with 1000m to go had taken a toll in the run home.

“That took a little of the sting out of him," she said. "He just had to do too much work holding him out. Other than that I think he would have been right in the finish. It was a really brave run.”

Barker believes finding the front with Demon Delight from gate four this time might not be easy given the gate speed on their inside in the likes of Highway To Heaven and Huli Nien.

She’s not too concerned about that though.

“He’s pretty versatile and being close to the speed would be ideal," she said. “If he can settle close enough, he’s good enough to us (that) to his advantage.”

Barker said in addition to Hamilton, her family considered Horsham a local track.

“It would be awesome to win (the cup) and join Dad and Pop on the honour roll,” she said.

The Horsham Pacing Cup has attracted a capacity field of 12 plus an emergency – a great outcome for Horsham Harness Racing Club.

The Emma Stewart-trained Our Millionaire, who won the Stawell Pacing Cup in December, was the $2.90 favourite for the Cup with tab.com.au fixed odds ahead of Phoenix Prince $3.70 and Demon Delight $9.

The Cup-day program features nine races, with the first at 12.49pm and the Cup at 5pm.