By Jonny Turner
A strong book of drives could have junior driver Ellie Barron starting her New Year’s Eve celebrations early at Winton on Thursday.
Barron combines with several strong eachway chances on the nine-race card at Central Southland Raceway, including three from her father Clark’s stable.
Barron senior also has two of Canterbury trainer Dean Taylor’s mares in his care, who look big winning chances for his daughter.
Baileys Diamond produced an excellent performance to run second to a smart mare in Yankee Party in her last start at Winton earlier this month.
The four-year-old used her gate speed to slot into a perfect run and could do the same again from her handy barrier 4 draw.
But Barron thinks she can be just as lethal from off the pace
“Obviously she has got good gate speed, so if we can use that it would be great.”
“But she is also very fast, she has run a 1.54 mile rate when sitting off them and running home.”
“She has a nice enough draw, so she should settle handy enough regardless and she has got a good show in that field.”
Barron also combines with the Taylor trained Lilac Becky in race 3.
The five-year-old comes into her 2400m assignment following a desperately unlucky run at Winton in her last start earlier this month.
Barron hopes the mare’s luck can change and she can get a drag into the race from her barrier 12 draw on the second row.
“She is going really well and she has got right back down into a grade that is definitely winnable for her.”
“We will be looking for luck, she is a wee bit of a sit sprinter.”
“Hopefully someone gives me a drag up and we will be good.”
The Clark Barron trained Onedin Hurricane comes into race 7 following his excellent effort to run second to The Hustler in his last start at Winton earlier this month.
Drawing the outside of the front line will be tricky for the four-year-old, but Ellie thinks he can still feature.
“He is quite a nice horse,” Barron said.
“He is still a bit of a schoolboy, he doesn’t really know much yet.”
“The draw could work out, they could slow down a bit and he is good enough to do a bit of work and run home.”
“It would be good if they had a bit of a set-to up front and it worked out for us to run home over top of them.”
“I definitely think he is a top-four chance and he will be running on.”
Father and daughter also combine with Noosa Beach in race 1.
The four-year-old looked terribly unlucky in his last start at Winton, but Barron is not convinced that was the case.
“He almost could’ve got out, but he wasn’t going well enough to push the ones outside him out of the way.”
“So he probably wasn’t as unlucky as it looked.”
“He is in a weakish field this time and he has been working really well.”
“We have made a gear change and added an anti-choking device and they quite often get good results.”
Barron again combines with her father in race 3 with Omaggio.
The four-year-old comes into her mile (1609m) assignment after running a respectable fourth behind the smart Better’s Tart at Winton in her last start.
“She went quite well last time,” Barron said.
“She needs to be driven with a bit of a sit, so if she gets a good run she should go another good race.”
Barron also drives Postgrad Success in race 2 and Galleons Future in race 5 at Winton on Thursday.
