Barclay goes back to where it began

By Jonny Turner

Kirstin Barclay bagged a goodbye win last night at the track where her successful harness racing career began ahead of Forbury Park’s upcoming closure.

After making mistakes in her last two starts, Majestic Rollon produced a faultless display when bolting away with yesterday’s opener.

The victory came more than 22 years after the trainer-driver notched her first career victory as a junior driver in 1999 with Miss Lyndal.

The mare was trained by former Forbury Park trainer and former Forbury Park Trotting Club Alan Clyma.

The accomplished reinswoman got her start in harness racing at Forbury Park and one of her earliest roles in the industry came at Clyma’s stable.

Barclay admitted at that time she never dared to dream she would go on to be a group one winning trainer and driver.

“I was hoping to get a win at one of the last meetings,” Barclay said.

“I obviously drove my first winner there and I got my start in harness racing there.”

“I lived just down the road and would go down there in the holidays and after school and when I probably should have been at school.”

“It is always good to go home to Dunedin and drive a winner.”

Last night’s win was Barclay’s 61st as a driver and her 15th as a trainer at Forbury Park.

Barclay produced an impressive training performance with Majestic Rollon considering the mare had galloped badly in her last two starts and Invercargill was hit with weather that made training horses difficult this week.

The horsewoman put her trotter’s improved manners down to a key gear change.

“It was trainer error last week, I took her to the workouts and she trotted perfectly without a [boring] pole on but once she came back here to a tighter track she galloped.”

“I put the pole back on and she was perfect.”

“Colin Lindsay, who works for me, does a lot of the work with her and he said she had been working super this week.”

“He said he had never gone around my wee track at home so fast before.”

The Williamson brothers – Nathan, Matthew and Brad – dominated last week’s Forbury Park meeting and were in the winner’s circle again last night.

Matthew Williamson produced Boarding Call for her fourth consecutive victory when she coasted to a comfortable two-length victory in race 2.

The reinsman also combined with Count Eyre to double up following their win at the Dunedin track last week.

Brad Williamson also produced Shards Fury for an overdue win in his 15th start in race 3.