Pole position to help Mary Austin

By Jonny Turner

A big week for trainer Tony Barron starts at Oamaru on Wednesday.

Barron starts three runners on an eight-race programme just a matter of days before he sells three horses at the National Yearling Sales in Christchurch.

In between times, the trainer will line up his stable star Lifes A Beach in Group One company at Addington.

The Barron trained Mary Austin takes pole position in barrier 1 in Wednesday’s feature event, a heat of the Southland Oaks Series.

The filly drew the same spot before producing a huge run for third after a slow beginning and an early error at Roxburgh last month.

Mary Austin has then chased hard from bad draws in her next two starts.

She also returns to Oaks company ready to produce a more professional display after some fine tuning.

“She hasn’t had a lot of luck, but she is a funny wee thing,” Barron said.

“I think if she has steered properly she would have been hard to beat at Roxburgh but we have improved on that.”

“If she gets out and sits one, two or three the fence I will be pretty happy.”

Mary Austin takes on a nice bunch of fillies on Wednesday, but having taken on some good fields in the past the experience won’t be anything new for her.

“She has taken on some good fields in the past, she has won almost $8500 and that is just from picking up place money taking on decent horses.”

Barron also starts Marshmellow Millie in race 1.

The four-year-old takes on a line up she should be very competitive in.

“She is quite a nice mare but she hasn’t helped herself, either,” Barron said.

“She is another one that has been ticking away, she is certainly going to win races, it is just a matter of when.”

Barron is expecting improvement from Glassy Webb who steps out in race 6 after tiring in his last outing at Addington.

“Forget his last start, that was trainer error, I had been way too easy on him.”

“He will strip a far sharper horse on Wednesday.”

Barron will offer two fillies and one colt at the National Yearling Sales in Christchurch next week.

They include an Art Major filly from Christy Breanna, an Art Major colt from Elite Medley and a Downbytheseaside colt from Gabriel Marie.