Welcome home present after barn-storming win!

Queensland trainer Alastair Barnes got the ultimate jetlag antidote when he touched down from a dream trip to the United States for the rich Little Brown Jug harness racing carnival.

Barnes and his talented reinsman son Brendan witnessed history at the “jug” when former Queenslanders Noel Daley and Todd McCarthy combined to claim the first victory by Australians in the $625K 3yo classic with Captain Albano (Captaintreacherous).

After their fairytale trip, the Barnes father-and-son boarded their flight to arrive home to Australia on Sunday morning (Sept 24) and the story only got better.

Alastair’s grand old campaigner 10 yo gelding Northview Hustler (Bettors Delight) had provided a welcome replenishment to the travel bank, with an Albion Park victory as the pair was airborne over the Pacific.

“Al said he literally turned his phone back on when they got into Brisbane and he had a heap of messages – and found out that Hustler had done the job the night before,” said stand-in trainer Alanah Richardson.

“When he left the horse with me Al told me just to treat him like a horse – but he’s not just a horse!  Everyone loves Hustler.  He just turns up every time he’s needed,” she said.

Barnes said the win was a good welcome home present.

“I thought maybe he could run a place with some luck, so it was a nice surprise,” he said.

“Brendan took me over and it was a fantastic trip to be there for the Jug, and I did get to catch up with Todd (McCarthy) and Dexter (Dunn) in the paddock which was nice.”

Richardson has had some success as a stand-in for holiday-making trainers in the recent past, also scoring wins with Mahindi, Art On Fire and Epic Orion for Victorian trainer Colin Godden and his wife Michelle when they spent time in Europe in August.

Alanah and her husband Adam are based at the stables of Jack and Tara Butler, at Logan Village, and Alanah is enjoying her best season in both training and driving.

“We’ve usually got around seven in work, but we’ve had a lot more in the past.  We find we like to keep it around that number because we like to do the little one percenters, so it’s about the right balance and it seems to be working for us.

“Training wise I’m having a pretty good season, and driving-wise, I’m definitely having my best season from getting some more opportunities on some better horses. Adam’s having a pretty good season as well.

“The win with Northview Hustler was so satisfying.  He’s such an old marvel. He’s got his fair share of leg issues, and for him still to be going around says a lot about the horse he is.”

Alanah was born into the sport to NSW hobby trainers Daryl and Rose Pitt, and while she did pony trots, she believed her small stature would hold her back from a driving career.

“I had jobs for a few stables but when I was started working for Shane Hillier, he encouraged me to get my driver’s licence – his attitude was to give it a try, and if I didn’t like it, I didn’t have to keep going.  Turned out I loved it,” she said.

Alanah met Adam in 2019, and the pair have spent time in both NSW and Qld, but are now settled in the northern State.

“We’re pretty happy with how things are going.  My brother Ryan started buying a few and he hasn’t really stopped!  He and a mate of his Kyle Tuckett bought horse together about three weeks ago, Arendelle (Betterthancheddar), who also won for us last week at Albion Park.

“Kyle has never had anything to do with horses before and he was just so excited, absolutely ecstatic, actually, so hopefully there are a few more wins ahead for them.

“We’ve got some babies to come back in, one we bred and one we bought from the Redcliffe yearling sale, and my old favorite, King of Trumps (seven wins for Richardson) is back at the trials – so it’s exciting times ahead.”

For complete race results, click here

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink