*Article by Brad Waters for racenet
A disaster on paper might not be a bad thing in practice for Barbie's Fox in Saturday's Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes at Flemington.
Barbie's Fox has drawn barrier 16 for the $1 million event, meaning the mare will need many things to go her way if she is to post her maiden Group 1 win.
But it has been done before. Super Sequel jumped from barrier 16 to win the race as a $21 chance in 2000m.
While none have won since from barrier 16, widely-drawn mares have been able to win the 1600m event with 14 out of the last 30 winners drawing barrier 10 or wider.
TAB hasn't ruled out Barbie's Fox as a winning chance, keeping her at $15 in an open market.
Barbie's Fox will also have the services of in-form jockey Mark Zahra, who rode four winners at last Saturday's Cox Plate meeting.
Barbie's Fox showed she was up to Group 1 level with a fighting fourth in the Epsom Handicap in Sydney two starts back before going down narrowly to the smart Wishlor Lass at Caulfield last start.
The mare landed at the Lindsay Park stable as a restricted class performer but co-trainer JD Hayes said Barbie's Fox's honesty had propelled her to be a reliable galloper in stakes grade.
"When she started this prep, I think she was a Benchmark 70 horse so she was a long way off and she just kept improving," Hayes, who trains Barbie's Fox in partnership with his brothers Will and Ben, said.
"We can't take too much credit, she's just improving with age.
"She's really starting to finetune her racing craft and she's ever so consistent."
Hayes said Barbie's Fox just needed a little slice of luck at the right time to be in the finish again.
"She just keeps improving," Hayes said.
"A mare in form, they're a force to be reckoned with.
"She'll get her opportunity to win a Group 1 and if she gets a good run, she'll be right in it."
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