Golden Slipper contender survives scare in 10L trial win

Golden Slipper hopeful Outback Barbie has trialled impressively at the Gold Coast but had to survive a scare when she dislodged her jockey past the post.

Trainer Tony Gollan took Outback Barbie and Ef Troop to the Gold Coast on Thursday as a final hit-out before the two-year-olds head to Sydney next week.

Outback Barbie sat three-deep early in her 1000m-trial but worked away from the rest of the field to score by 9-1/2 lengths in 58.38 seconds on a soft six track.

But past the line she shied and dumped jockey Jim Byrne who was unhurt and able to ride in later trials.

“She sat a bit deep early in her trial but then got along in the lead. It was no real drama over the line as Jim seems OK and we caught Barbie quickly without any damage,” Gollan said.

Outback Barbie will run in the Riesling Stakes and Ef Troop in the Todman Stakes at Randwick on Saturday week.

Gollan hopes both will then go on to the Golden Slipper 2018 on March 24.

The trials were the first hit-outs for the pair since Outback Barbie ran third and Ef Troop ran fourth in the Magic Millions Classicat the Gold Coast on January 13.

Ef Troop was outside the leader for much of the his trial before coming away to win by three lengths in 59.35 seconds.

Gollan said he was happy with both efforts and the horses had pulled up well.

“They were good trials but for different reasons. We have done a lot of work with Ef Troop to get him to settle and he did that today,” he said.

“Jeff Lloyd who rode him said he could have got him in to get cover. That is what we planned when he was fourth in the Magic Millions but as we know things didn’t work out that way.”

Gollan said there wasn’t much between Ef Troop and Outback Barbie in terms of ability.