KEY POINTS:
Expect to see a lot more of Ken Barron at Alexandra Park in the future.
And not just because he won one of the richest races of the season there yesterday with Georgetown.
Barron and his unheralded stable star wore down Justa Tiger in the $220,000 PGG Wrightson
Sales Series Pace to record his biggest training success.
The win capped a remarkable month for Canterbury trainer Barron whose teams has grown wings since he crossed Cook Strait.
And he says that is the way he wants to keep it.
"There are some trainers who don't mind going to the minor circuits down home at this time of year but to be honest, if you are serious about training, this is where you have got to be," said Barron.
"I want to come back up here at Great Northern Derby time with another four horses because the stakes are great, the racing is competitive and you have got to go where you can get the most money for your owners.
"The days of thinking locally are gone, we have to start thinking nationally, or with these really good horses Australasian wide."
Georgetown has been the biggest beneficiary of Barron's ambitious training and his trainer says he is the right horse for the job.
"I love driving horses like him," said Barron. "You can use him in a race and he will still kick on, whichis all important these days.
"At the premier meetings the good horses don't stop so you either have to have gate speed or be able to move mid-race and this horse can do that."
Georgetown may be able to do that a lot better in the future, with Barron saying the $16,000 yearling sales purchase is still not right.
"He has had little problems with his splints and I think after a breakhe will be a better horse.
"In the home straight today he was trying to pull up because he has those niggles so a break now will be ideal for him."
Georgetown has now stepped into the void left when Auckland Reactor, who can't go right-handed, and Ohoka Arizona, who broke down, disappeared from the summer three-year-old ranks.
While yesterday's win doesn't count toward his stakes tally for Harness Jewels qualification, Georgetown is already guaranteed a start in that series after winning the Elsu Classic the previous start so he is certain to be at Cambridge for the Jewels on May 31.
His equally as talented stablemate Mattnamaras Band could be set a different path though.
"He is just as good but hasn't been right all season. I'd love to give him a break and then maybe set him for the Breeders Crown in Australia in August," said Barron.
While the last month has been the best of Barron's training career he is hoping there will be further spinoffs in February.
"I have had a few people say to me coming up here and winning big races has been great for my profile and training is so competitive at the moment you need that coming up to the yearling sales. So at the moment it is all going right."
Certainly, the the punters who have cleaned up on Barron's team in the last month will be happy to welcome him back north any time.
The second favourite, Fiery Falcon,was disappointing after doing no work.