Latest news with #JenniferActon
News.com.au
28-05-2025
- General
- News.com.au
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? • Racenet iQ members get full access to our Pro Tips service, where Greg Polson and our team of professional punters provide daily tips with fully transparent return on investment statistics. SUBSCRIBE NOW and start punting like a pro! 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. • '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.
News.com.au
22-04-2025
- Automotive
- News.com.au
Jennifer Acton has incredible Group 1 omen for Hi Barbie in Queensland winter carnival
Sitting on her country property looking out over her late husband's grave, Jennifer Acton feels there is an incredible omen for star filly Hi Barbie's Queensland winter carnival campaign. Two-year-old Hi Barbie, who kicks off her winter mission on Saturday, was an emotional $1.2m yearling purchase for Jennifer Acton who wanted to honour her late husband Alan's legacy in racing. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Tony Gollan will resume Hi Barbie in the Listed Calaway Girl (1200m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday and is hoping he can plot a path to stretching her to the 1600m of the Group 1 JJ Atkins in June. Enter the Acton omen. 'I haven't said anything to Tony Gollan about this, but my initials were 'JJ' before I was married,' Jennifer Acton said. 'I was Jennifer Jones and sometimes I would be called JJ. 'And then I became an Acton, which sounds a bit like Atkins. 'So the JJ Atkins sound a perfect race for us to win. 'Alan always wanted to have a Group 1 winner and we are really hoping this filly can be the one. 'I think Alan would be having a chuckle from up above, in a short space of time I have gained so much knowledge about racing. 'I always wondered why Alan got so nervous before a race, but I always left that to him. 'Now I understand, because it's on my shoulders now, and I get very nervous.' Trainer Tony Gollan with Jennifer Acton after she purchased Hi Barbie at last year's Gold Coast Magic Millions Yearling Sale. Picture: Magic Millions • 'Sick of running second to him': Miller's cheeky 'plan' to beat Overpass 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. Alan Acton is buried on the Wilpeena property and the extended Acton family gathered there over the weekend to celebrate Easter. Hopes are high that Hi Barbie, named by Jennifer's granddaughter Tommy after the family had watched a Barbie movie, can be a winter carnival star. Jennifer and the late Alan Acton at the Wilpeena racetrack. • Country jockeys lose riding gear in mobile home fire The filly resumes on Saturday after finishing a bold sixth in the $3m Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic in January. It was a tremendous effort and a real eye-catcher, especially given the filly suffered heart arrhythmia following her previous race in December. While Jennifer Acton can't wait to see Hi Barbie resume, she is also looking forward to the $1m Rockhampton slot race The Archer on May 4. Acton has exciting Gollan galloper Transatlantic, the early $3.50 favourite, racing in Acton's slot. 'This will be the first time that we have actually had our trainer (Gollan) have a horse racing in our slot,' Acton said. 'Tony contacted me about Transatlantic because I think he thinks he is a Stradbroke horse and he wants to kick him off in The Archer.' Originally published as 'My initials were JJ before I was married': Jennifer Acton has incredible Group 1 omen for Hi Barbie
