BRC Sires' Produce to decide if Hi Barbie heads towards Group 1 JJ Atkins
Tony Gollan has always liked Hi Barbie and he says when the penny finally drops, the young filly could morph into something special.
But will the penny drop on Saturday in the $1m BRC Sires' Produce Stakes (1400m) at Eagle Farm?
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Two-year-old Hi Barbie, who was an emotional $1.2m yearling purchase for Jennifer Acton who wanted to honour her late husband Alan's legacy in racing, can stake her claim on Saturday for next month's Group 1 JJ Atkins.
But it will be a sliding doors moment as Gollan knows the filly could have a lot more to offer in her three-year-old season.
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'This run on Saturday will tell us whether we go to the JJ Atkins, or give her a break and bring her back for the summer,' Gollan said.
'The penny hasn't quite dropped yet, that's been evident really in every run.
'There have been different aspects of each run where you can see she's a young and immature filly.
'When the penny drops, she will be a really nice horse.
'She is still a work in progress, she is working out her style and her pattern.
'It is all happening pretty early for her.
'She is a preparation away from probably really showing what she can do, but she has come on physically since her last run.'
Cattle baron Alan Acton raced hundreds of horses over the years – the best was Gollan-trained mare Outback Barbie which won $1.6m in prizemoney.
The Actons own several cattle properties in central Queensland but the main one is Wilpeena which is situated just outside Dingo, 150km west of Rockhampton.
Tragically, Alan Acton died just over two years ago when his mustering helicopter hit power lines and crashed.
Widow Jennifer is continuing her late husband's racing legacy and emotions overflowed when Hi Barbie won the Listed Phelan Ready when she made her debut last November.
There have been some trials and tribulations since and Hi Barbie finished a brave sixth in the Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic in January after recovering from a heart condition that she has suffered at her previous start.
Her last start, finishing fifth and beaten three lengths in the Group 2 Spirit Of Boom Classic won by Cool Archie, encouraged Gollan enough to let her loose on the Sires' on Saturday.
'In her last run, she drew wide on a really testing track,' Gollan said.
'Our plan was to let her get into her stride, she ended up back in the field and then she followed the right horse.
'But when it was time to sprint, she was still all over the place a bit.
'She is still quite a young filly, mentally and physically.
'But her run still was quite good if you look at it from a Sires' viewpoint, now going to the big track Eagle Farm.
'I also think she will appreciate getting back on better ground.'
Hi Barbie, who is a $34 chance to cause a Sires' boilover, is a get-back type and she has drawn wide in barrier 15 in Saturday's Group 2 event.
Craig Williams will ride.
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