Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
New South Wales-bred four-year-old Barbados is proving a good buy for Scott and Sandy Nelson and Todd and Cara Hughes who outlaid $5000 to purchase the gelding who was advertised for sale on Facebook in June last year.
Barbados, who had finished second at three of his five starts in his current campaign, was the $1.10 favourite from the No. 1 barrier when Shannon Suvaljko drove him to an all-the-way victory in the 2130m Westral Quality Since 1973 Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Barbados now has raced 28 times for his new owners for six wins, nine placings and stakes of $45,851. His 37 starts (all in WA) have produced seven wins, 12 placings and $54,955.
Barbados is trained by Matt Scott, who prepared Nelson’s first pacer, Clutch.
“I got into harness racing almost twenty years ago,” said Nelson. “I bought Clutch from Grant Williams in 2007, and Stephen Reed gave me my first win when he drove the gelding to victory in a race at Narrogin in July 2007.
“After that I had a break of eight or nine years while establishing a business, and I’ve got back into the sport in the past couple of years.” Barbados’s owners are also enjoying racing the Scott-trained Montego, who has won at five of her 17 starts over the past six months.
Barbados was not extended in beating $14 chance Road Closure, who was tenth and last in the middle stages before surging home to finish a half-length behind the winner.