Memories – both cherished and painful – will come flooding back for owner Brian Barton when he chases Group 1 National Derby glory with Wyndra All Heart at Wentworth Park on Saturday night.
At the corresponding meeting in 2023, Canyonleigh-based Barton and his late wife Sue were the central characters in one of the most emotional moments ever seen on a racetrack.
Or a sporting field of any nature, for that matter.
Despite waging a brave battle against an insidious foe in brain cancer, Sue was trackside to watch her pride and joy Wyndra All Class – an anniversary gift from her husband – win the G1 National Futurity, with barely a dry eye at the iconic Sydney circuit.
On Saturday, Brian Barton returns to the scene of that emotion-charged triumph, this time with a frontline contender in the $75,000 to-the-winner National Derby in Wyndra All Heart.
"‘Annie' (Wyndra All Class) kept Sue going," Barton recalled.
"I was Sue's full-time carer and it was really tough towards the end.
"But I've got some good memories and the night we won the Futurity was fantastic."
While Wyndra All Class was trained by Daniel Gatt, Wyndra All Heart is prepared by Daniel's high-flying brother Mark.
Brian Barton and his late wife Sue savoured Wyndra All Class' victory in the 2023 G1 National Futurity
"‘Bardo' said to me that we got Sue a Group 1, so now we have to get him one!" Mark Gatt said.
"There was a lot of sentiment when Wyndra All Heart won the Futurity. We were so happy to win that race for Sue, because she was such a lovely lady."
Wyndra All Heart (box 7) is a $4.40 chance in Derby betting after a strong-finishing 29.82 heat victory, his fourth win from 15 starts.
Wyndra All Heart could be considered a gift from above, as Brian purchased the superbly-bred son of champion 2015 National Derby victor Fernando Bale and Yuko Girl before he was born.
"I bought Wyndra All Heart and his sister, Wyndra All Smoke, she won the Consolation of the Million Dollar Chase Maiden, off Nicholas De La Roche in Victoria before they were born," Barton said.
"Their mother, Yuko Girl, beat Wyndra All Class in the (G2) Richmond Oaks, but we beat her everywhere else!
"The only bitch Wyndra All Class couldn't beat was She's A Pearl. We ran second to her in the Brother Fox at Dubbo and the Ladies Bracelet.
"I reared Wyndra All Heart and he showed a lot of heart, which is why I chose his name.
"He just keeps trying. In his Derby heat he bumped with the leader (Late In Winter) in the home straight, but he kept coming.
"He's had 15 starts and has only been unplaced twice and they were both fourths!"
Keen to look forward not back, Barton is understandably excited about Futurity heroine Wyndra All Class' imminent first mating.
"I let Wyndra All Class down for a year-and-a-half and she had to recover from a hock injury, but I've got a Barcia Bale straw for her when she comes on season in April/May," he said.
