A nightmare barrier means Absent Friends chances of winning the Group Three Chairman's Handicap at Doomben on Saturday rest purely in the hands of Brisbane's premier ride Jim Byrne.Trainer Gary Portelli couldn't believe it when Absent Friends drew the widest barrier, 16, for the 2020-metre feature."That's the third time in as many starts he's drawn the widest barrier," Portelli said."It really affects your pattern of racing when you have to drag them back so far."I'll just leave it to Jim, if he

A nightmare barrier means Absent Friends chances of winning the Group Three Chairman's Handicap at Doomben on Saturday rest purely in the hands of Brisbane's premier ride Jim Byrne.

Trainer Gary Portelli couldn't believe it when Absent Friends drew the widest barrier, 16, for the 2020-metre feature.

"That's the third time in as many starts he's drawn the widest barrier," Portelli said.

"It really affects your pattern of racing when you have to drag them back so far.

"I'll just leave it to Jim, if he jumps good enough that he feels he can travel forward then he can do it."

Byrne, who claimed the Brisbane jockeys' premiership for a third time last season, returned to action in March after being sidelined since late November after he underwent hip surgery - the legacy of a race fall two years earlier.

Absent Friends comes into the race after finishing third to Ausbred King in the Neville Sellwood Stakes on April 4 before running seventh to Prima Nova in the JRA Plate (2000m) at Randwick two weeks later.

"It's a short, little turning track and you need a lot of luck from wide alleys, it's easy to get trapped four deep if you are pressing forward," Portelli said.

Stablemate Something Anything continues to please Portelli ahead of the Group One BTC Cup (1200m) in which he takes on star sprinter Apache Cat.

Five-year-old Something Anything is having his first start since his Group Two Villiers Stakes (1600m) triumph at Randwick in December.

"People are thinking that I've stepped out of my crease having a go at this race but he's such an honest horse that he's a chance whenever he steps out," Portelli said.

"It's a good field but I don't think it's anything he can't manage."