Quest heads home defence for Tasmanian Derby

Quality three-year-old Barysh Quest will lead the home defence for the Tasmanian Derby after demolishing his rivals in the LR Hobart Guineas (2100m) on Sunday.

Barysh Quest (3g West Quest – Miss Barysh by Baryshnikov) is trained at Brighton by Gary White who issued a warning to interstate stables.  “That will top him off nicely for the Derby,” White claimed.  “Craig (Newitt) said it doesn’t matter what they bring over from Melbourne.  He’s still got a lot to learn but Craig told me he won with a leg in the air.”

The LR Tasmanian Derby (2200m) will be run on Sunday, February 5.

Barysh Quest is owned by the Lobsters and Legends Syndicate which is managed by Stuart Hallam.  He was a $20,000 buy out of the Aceland Stud draft at the 2010 Tasmanian Magic Millions.

The Guineas win was a first for his dam Miss Barysh who won 6 sprints for Spreyton trainer Elesha Spillane.  Her second-dam Annie’s Pride (Poacher’s Moon) won a Tasmanian Oaks.  Miss Barysh has an unraced two year-old named Added Bonus (Savoire Vivre) and she foaled a filly by Grenville Stud sire Incumbent in September.

Barysh Quest is by Grenville champion West Quest and proceeds from the Hobart Guineas sent his season’s earnings past $600,000.  He has claimed the last six Tasmanian  sires’ titles and is currently in second spot behind Savoire Vivre ($677,000).

West Quest has 17 yearlings catalogued for the Tasmanian Magic Millions at Launceston on February 21.