Reardon has soft spot for Sly Corner

By Glenn Davis

It’s fair to say hobby trainer Barry Reardon has a soft spot for Sly Corner who he hopes can give him another win at Gatton on Tuesday.

The Toowoomba-based Reardon turns 79 next month after a training career which kicked off in 1970.

He’s hopeful the seven-year-old Sly Corner will be competitive in the Benchmark 65 Handicap over 1600 metres despite drawing barrier 13.

“He can’t seem to draw a decent barrier, so he’ll have to get back like he has been doing and come through the field again,” Reardon said.

Reardon has been in the winner’s circle only four times in the past few years – all with Sly Corner - who has placed in two of his three starts this campaign.

He is coming off a close third to Archer’s Game in a 1625 metre Benchmark race at Toowoomba on April 17.

“He was trapped three wide all the way from an outside barrier that day and was only beaten 1.3 lengths,” Reardon said.

“If he can overcome the draw he should run okay.”

Sly Corner is the only horse in work for Reardon who trains him for cousins Lindsay Chicken and Lynelle Remington and her husband Nev.

“I train him for my cousins,” Reardon said.

“They bought him for $25,000 online off Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young.”

Reardon worked in the grain industry for 26 years before taking up training.

“A thing came through on Facebook the other day about a racebook in 1971 at Laidley and I had a starter there that day,” Reardon said.

“Of all the trainers that trained there that day there’s only two who are still training - me and Johnny Wallace.

“I used to work in the grain protection industry before I got into training and I never had a horse while I worked cleaning grain.”

Reardon has handed the riding duties to apprentice Samantha Pointon to help offset his handicap of 60.5kgs.

Pointon is apprenticed to fellow Toowoomba trainer Tom Dougall and is back in familiar territory after travelling far and wide over the Anzac Day long weekend.

“She’s a beauty,” Reardon said of Pointon.

“She had rides at Cunnamulla last Friday then she drove to Yeppoon for two rides for John Manzelmann.

“She then drove to Thangool for another Manzelmann ride on Monday and then drove back for four rides at Gatton on Tuesday."