Friday is D-Day for the horse Mudgee trainer Cameron Crockett has always called ‘Super B’.
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Last year’s Inglis Challenge winner Barbass will line up in the Job Centre Australia Class 1 and Maiden Plate (1620m) at Dubbo, looking to add to a record that has the Scone feature as his only win from 11 starts.
The three-year-old has had four runs this time in, with fourth placings in a pair of Highway Handicaps coming either side of a solid eighth in the Scone Guineas and a second placing at Parkes.
“He’s been hurt by his benchmark after winning that race at Scone, but in saying that I still think he should have won more than just the one race,” Crockett said.
“Sometimes you do get those horses that always run well but rarely win, and I hope he’s not going to be one of them because he has always shown us a fair bit at home.
“Friday’s race is his chance in the lower grade to win another one because he gets in with only 57.5kg, but in saying that I’ve gone to the race confident plenty of times before and come home with nothing but excuses.
“He was nominated for the Highway on Saturday as well, but this is an easier task and hopefully he can win and get a bit of confidence back. They’re not dumb animals, they thrive on confidence.”
Barbass is one of five runners Crockett will saddle up on Friday, the others being Kingsbridge, Mar Nero, Scandal Sheet and Turramurra.
“I think they will all run well,” Crockett said.
“Kingsbridge goes nice but he got too far back last time and I think the step up in trip will suit him, and Mar Nero should improve on what she did first up from a break.
“Scandal Sheet will also improve off his first-up run for me. He pulled up a bit flat so I freshened him for four days and he bounced back pretty well so I expect a better showing from him.
“And Turramurra is a half-sister to The Frick. She’s having her first start in a race and is a filly that might need time, the same as The Frick did, but you have to start them somewhere.”
Speaking of The Frick, the gelding will be out to record a third straight win when he lines up with Greg Ryan in the saddle in Saturday’s TAB Highway Handicap (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens.
