22 April 2024 | Jordan Gerrans
Jarrod Alchin has declared there is plenty of improvement to come with boom juvenile My Ultimate Barney after the colt was confirmed as the second runner for the inaugural Ladbrokes Protostar.
The brand new two-year-old show-piece event will be held at Albion Park over 1660 metres as part of the Queensland Constellations’ final night on Saturday, July 27.
With emerging Queensland pacer Fate Awaits already confirmed, Alchin’s My Ultimate Barney will take the slot of ‘Daren Garrard Racing’ in the first Ladbrokes Protostar.
The young colt raced excellently through the Bathurst Gold Crown series earlier this year and finished second in the Group 1 Final in late March.
The son of American sire Downbytheseaside returned to work on Monday of this week after a short spell in the paddock and with a position in the Ladbrokes Protostar locked in, the NSW horseman says it gives his stable certainty looking through the winter.
“Now that it’s been confirmed, he will have his whole preparation set around this race,” the trainer said.
“It is good to lock in early so we can work the whole preparation around this particular race.
“We do not have to rush him into the race to try and get a slot, it is all out in the open and hopefully he can have a trouble free preparation.”
The 38-year-old Alchin prepared his top colt to two victories before fronting up in the Bathurst Gold Crown decider.
The Protostar will be run as a slot race and has quickly become Queensland’s richest harness race already.
It is an event that Alchin and his owners had their eyes on as soon as the details for it were first revealed.
“When this race got announced, we hoped we would have one good enough,” Alchin said.
“For a $500,000 race – everyone has got to aim towards something.
“It turns out that we did and as soon as this horse stepped up over Bathurst carnival then people started to look at him. It has worked out all good.
“When you put up good money like this, it is always going to be a good field with the top horses.
“It is exciting to have one good enough and hopefully we can have a trouble free prep.”
Grant Dixon’s Fate Awaits will be running in one of the naming rights partner’s slots.
The colt headed interstate for the first time in his career on Saturday evening where he finished third at Melton in the $250,000 Nutrien Equine Classic Final.
The first Protostar will be restricted to 10 starters with seven open slots still available, alongside one further Ladbrokes slot.
The Protostar will be held on the same evening as the state’s Grand Circuit event – the Ladbrokes Blacks A Fake – alongside three further Group 1 features – the Queensland Derby, Queensland Oaks, and Queensland Trotters Cup.
The multiple Group 1-winning Alchin team have been regulars in the Sunshine State come carnival time for the last five or so years and the trainer anticipates My Ultimate Barney will have a few travelling companions in tow.
The Menangle trainer says his two-year-old will have a couple of runs locally in NSW before likely tackling Queensland’s new slot race third-up.
“I couldn’t be happier with the horse with his entire last preparation,” the NSW horseman said.
“He has done everything we could have wanted and he was probably unlucky to not win at Bathurst – his run in the Final at Bathurst was unbelievable.
“If he can just improve on that a little bit, then he will be in for a terrific campaign I think.
“Every start we have given him, he has been faultless and he is easy to deal with for a colt.
“Hopefully he can improve a little bit following the spell and he can measure up to the better ones.”
Click here for more information on the Queensland Constellations.
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