Wide Barriers? They're Never OK!On Australia Day I saw a near-perfect ride from a young three kilo claimer at Caulfield.He rode an in-form chance from a wide draw over 2000 metres (ten furlongs).Frankly, I thought that apart from the draw it was a certainty. The horse had everything going for it.Except barrier 13.The kid got it across, nursing it over 500 or so metres until he could get to the rails, then he set a decent pace. In the final 200 metres he beat off the main threats, but then a ligh

Wide Barriers? They're Never OK!

On Australia Day I saw a near-perfect ride from a young three kilo claimer at Caulfield.

He rode an in-form chance from a wide draw over 2000 metres (ten furlongs).

Frankly, I thought that apart from the draw it was a certainty. The horse had everything going for it.

Except barrier 13.

The kid got it across, nursing it over 500 or so metres until he could get to the rails, then he set a decent pace. In the final 200 metres he beat off the main threats, but then a lightweight outsider, ironically drawn even wider, but sitting back in comfort and under the control of a senior jockey, cut him down by a neck on the line. It wasn't a just result for such a run and such a balanced ride.

But then, that's how it goes with bad barriers.

I read every so often from one leading journo that "the only thing a bad barrier does is improve the price". It's one of the more amazing racing beliefs, in my view, and represents an opinion held by hopeful punters rather than serious investors.

Of course the bad barrier does more than that. Ask anyone drawn wide in the next Golden Slipper.

The horse I'm referring to here was Bangerang Quikpik, by the way, at Caulfield. Catch the run if you can and draw your own conclusions about the fortunes of the barrier draw.