Winning double for Barclay

Winton reinsman Brent Barclay scored a double at Ascot Park today.

The first came in the Tuapeka Lodge Mobile Pace when the well-bred Maximus Prost beat a handy maiden field.

The American Ideal three year old qualified before lockdown before having an enforced spell. He had two workouts on his home course prior to his debut today, running second to the talented Tact Fergie before winning last Friday.

“He went real good at the workouts. He’d been working well at home. Today he got a good draw and he didn’t have to do any work early. The race panned out well for him,” said trainer Lauren Pearson.

Barclay settled Maximus Prost back early before following up Unsurpassable inside the last 500 metres. He then let him run down the outside of the track to win easily by a length and a half from a game pacemaker Lynryd Skynryn.

And the plan now?

“The idea was to qualify him and perhaps win a race but there’s been a few people looking at him to buy. If the money’s right I’m picking he could be gone.”

Maximus Prost is out of the Christian Cullen mare Summer Ale. Her early foals Summertime Lizzie and Argyle Beach each won two races for Ascot Park trainer Wayne Adam before heading to Australia. Summertime Lizzie won a further ten races while Argyle Beach has won  a further eighteen.

Trainer Lauren Pearson, Maximus Prost, Brent Barclay, Stewie Somerville and John Reid – Photo Bruce Stewart

“Unfortunately Summer Ale died this year after foaling. They have this fella, a filly (Bettor’s Delight) and a weanling colt, (Captaintreacherous) and that’s it.”

Pearson trained Summer Ale’s full brother Montecrengle to win his first two races. He went on to win a further twelve for a variety of other trainers.

Barclay’s other win today came with the consistent Nota Bene Denario owned by the Symons.

The Well Said gelding had run second seven times in his previous eleven starts and was rewarded with a win today.

Trained by Brett Gray, Nota Bene Denario settled in the outside running line. At the 400 Barclay moved him out three wide and he came home nicely to beat Change Is Good by a length and a half.

The gelding last won at Winton in April 2019.

Bruce Stewart