JOCKEY James McDonald and four-year-old Outback Barbie will try to complete some unfinished business at the Magic Millions raceday on January 11.
Outback Barbie is a contender for the $1 million Racing Queensland Open (1200 metres), her third successive appearance at the annual carnival.
A year ago McDonald had his only previous ride on the then three-year-old, finishing centimetres away from the main prize in the $2 million Magic Millions Guineas (1200m).
Ridden quietly early, Outback Barbie stormed to the line to lose in a three-way finish, going down to Boomsara and Bondi with noses separating the trio as they crossed the line.
At the time McDonald said Outback Barbie was desperately unlucky, just as Jim Byrne reported the year before when she scooted home to run third in the Magic Millions Classic as a two-year-old in January 2018.
Her two MM placings have produced $360,000 in prizemoney but it could have been more for owners Alan and Jenny Acton, Wilpeena Cattle Company, Dingo, and trainer Tony Gollan.
Outback Barbie has drawn barrier seven in the capacity field as she seeks a fourth win at start number 19.
From 18 previous assignments, Outback Barbie has banked $786,975 and Gollan says she is cherry-ripe to feature in the Open.
He insists her last start eighth on December 14, running more than six lengths behind stablemate Vega One in a race at Eagle Farm, should be forgotten, suggesting she does not handle the track.
Furthermore, Gollan said Outback Barbie trialed in good style on December 31 when Vega One barely had her measure.
In her two runs before the December 14 loss, Outback Barbie won the Keith Noud Quality (1200m) at Doomben on November 9 and then was a close second behind Chapter And Verse in the George Moore at the same track on November 30.
According to a report published last year Outback Barbie was named, in part, to honour the efforts of country women whose struggles to keep home and family together were largely overlooked by the wider community.
The report quoted Mrs Acton as saying: "When I looked back through the history the women barely raised a mention yet I could not imagine how tough it would have been to live here back then.
"We have named Outback Barbie in honour of those women - it was remarkable what they would have through.
"But the way of life was lovely and that's what they wanted. Outback Barbie's determination is much similar to those women."