Changing of the guard in $50,000 Group 2

Menangle based harness racing trainer Jarrod Alchin has an embarrassment riches when it comes to talented three-year-old pacers.

And on Saturday night at Tabcorp Park Menangle, a changing in the guard may have presented for which of his talented juveniles is the ace in his star studded stable.

Alchin who is the head trainer for the prominent Tumby Park racing operation, puts the polish on both My Ultimate Baxter and My Ultimate Byron who fought out the Group 2 Club Menangle Simpson Memorial.

Heading into the race it was last season’s boom two-year-old My Ultimate Byron who was posted as a short priced favourite to take out the time honoured feature which was no surprise given that he was only beaten once in eight starts throughout 2021.

Regular driver Cam Hart was content to take a sit on Smaltese on settling to give Byron an economical trip.

Rounding the home turn, Hart made his move and quickly put paid to the leader.

But My Ultimate Baxter, a son of Sweet Lou, emerged out of the pack and surged past his stablemate to score by three metres in a sizzling 1.50.9.

My Ultimate Baxter also boasted impressive statistics from his sophomore season, winning six of his 10 outings, mostly campaigning in Queensland.

Smart judges had My Ultimate Byron ahead of his stablemate for supremacy but would now be having a re-think after Saturday night’s result.

For Alchin and owner Scott Whitton it is an enviable position to be in as they also have My Ultimate Ronnie, the winner of four races last season getting ready for a return to racing.

“It is a really exciting time for the stable, we have a mix talented older horses as well as our three year olds including the filly Madrid who ran a top race to finish second last week in the Raith Memorial,” said Alchin.

“I was confident that both Baxter and Byron would perform well, and they did not let me down.

“My Ultimate Ronnie will resume shortly and could be the best of them this season.

“We just need to be patient and place them in races that best suit.”

By Michael Dumesny for HRNSW