News Article

My Koda Kasper breaks a long drought

25 / 11 / 2014 Article by: TR Internal
My Koda Kasper (Nat Emery) defeats Blackjackhanover in Hobart icon Click to enlarge

POPULAR Tasmanian harness racing trainer Shelley Barnes knows what it’s like to be down and out.

After surviving a horror fall in Launceston in 1998 in which she suffered multiple broken bones when catapulted from her sulky in a five-horse fall she was again faced with the possibility of spending the rest of her life unable to walk as a result of another track accident.

While the injuries she sustained from the latest incident ensured she would never drive in races again the talented horsewoman who has been Tasmania’s leading female trainer and or driver multiple times over the past 20 years was back in the winner’s circle on Sunday night.

Barnes is back training 12 horses from her Sassafras property on the North-West Coast of Tasmania and on Sunday night she prepared My Koda Kasper to win the Hygain Track Torque Pace over 2090 metres at Tattersall’s Park in Hobart.

The grey gelding powered home with his regular drover Natalee Emery in the sulky to score a narrow but convincing win over Blackjackhanover with Tizyalater a closing but distant third.

Barnes purchased My Koda Kasper about two years ago off the Internet.

“I was looking for a horse to buy and race for myself and I found this one that was unraced and well bred and he didn’t cost a lot of money,” Barnes said.

“He won for me on debut and that paid for him plus a fair bit extra in my hand.”

“While he never won another race until this latest start he has been placed and ran a lot of fourths so he has managed to pay his way,’ she said.

My Koda Kasper (Jet Laag-Princess Mac) has had 27 starts for two wins and seven minor placings for about $17,000 in stakes and Barnes is confident he has more wins left in him.

My Koda Kasper is likely to line up in a race in Launceston this Sunday night.