VETERAN Tasmanian harness racing trainer Ian Abraham celebrated his biggest win when his talented three-year-old filly Barooga Minnie scored an emphatic all-the-way win in the $30,000 bandbox final over 2200m at UBET Racing centre in Launceston on Sunday night.
Barooga Minnie ($1.70) was sent around the short-price favourite and when she had no trouble leading from her front row barrier the end result was never in doubt.
Abraham and his wife Vicky have been breeding standardbreds for a long time and most of their breed have carried the Barooga tag.
They had minor success in a few Breeders Stakes series with Barooga Geoffrey and Barooga Jet both placed in Raider Stakes (4YO) finals while Barooga Bullet was second in a Globe Derby (3YO) final.
“We’ve had some good ones placed in sires stakes races but this is our first winner,” Abraham aid.
“In fact this is our biggest win of any kind by far,” he said.
With Erin Hollaway in the cart, Barooga Minnie (Mister Big-Barooga Nellie) led comfortably and set a solid tempo before scooting clear of her rivals turning for home.
Despite appearing to feel the pinch over the closing stages she held on to defeat the fast-finishing Ark Breeze by a head with Sheas Delight a neck away third.
The narrow margin was most likely due to the filly’s trait of waiting for her opposition before extending herself.
“If she can’t see the other horses she wants to stop and look around,” Abraham said.
“She’s better when she can be driven with a sit and that’s the way we’ll look to drive her in the future,” he said.
Barooga Minnie will be sent to the spelling paddock this week for a two-month break.