Barry Reardon chasing Doomben winner

By Glenn Davis

Toowoomba’s Barry Reardon has held a trainers’ licence for over half a century and will be looking to train a Doomben winner on Wednesday with Sly Corner.

Sly Corner – a Marnu Potgieter mount – is chasing back-to-back wins in the Benchmark 68 Handicap over 2000 metres.

The seven-year-old Sly Corner has shown a liking for middle distances since Reardon stepped him up in distance and was a dominant last start winner over 2000 metres at Warwick on September 22.

“I got my licence in 1970 but I worked in the grain industry for 26 years until I started training again,” the 78-year-old Reardon said. 

“I trained a good 'Creeker' called Bill’s Advice which won some nice races when they used to race at the old track at Albion Park.”

Albion Park was known as “The Creek” and was a sand track which produced some champion gallopers such as Red Seas, who won all 15 races in two seasons between 1969 and 1971.

'The Creek' was closed in 1981 before becoming a harness racing venue in Queensland. 

Reardon trains Sly Corner for his cousins Lindsay Chicken and Lynelle Remington and her husband Nev.

“Lynelle was in the trotting business for years and her husband, Nev used to drive them,” Reardon said.

“I’ve only got Sly Corner in work now but I’m getting one from Ciaron Maher called Maeve which the same owners bought off an online auction.”

Reardon believes Sly Corner’s appreciation for distance racing stems from his sire Savabeel, who was a Group 1 Cox Plate-winning son of former champion New Zealand sire Zabeel.

“He seems to like racing over ground more these days and I think it’s the Zabeel coming out in him,” Reardon said.

“His last win at Warwick was very good when he came from worse than midfield.

“But, his previous run at the Gold Coast when he ran second over 1800 metres was enormous.

"He got well back as we expected and was stone last on the home turn when he flew home.”