Caption: Emotions ran high throughout the racing industry when Sue and Brian Barton celebrated the Futurity win of Wyndra All Class. (Photo: Courtesy of Lachlan Naidu GRNSW)
By Gary Clark
WYNDRA All Class’s win in the recent Group One National Futurity at Wentworth Park was an especially emotional moment for owners Sue and Brian Barton after a traumatic few months for the couple.
Sue has had a very tough time in recent months and is now battling a second brain tumor.
Doctors have given her six months to live. That diagnosis is the second blow inside a year after she fought her way through the first tumor.
The Bartons haved put a lot of money and energy into their property at Cannyonleigh in NSW .
Their kennel star Yukon Bear won the Goulburn GOTY in 2021 and that dog helped Sue get through her first tumor.
After brain surgery and chemo, Sue was determined to beat the disease and she started to improve early last year.
But then in August she was diagnosed with a second tumor, this time on the opposite side of the brain and surgeons are unable to operate. The tumor is growing inwards making it impossible to remove.
So Sue and Brian decided to pull all their kennels down, farm their greyhounds out to other trainers or sell them.
Before Christmas Sue was in hospital for two weeks and contracted Co-vid and pneumonia, suffered blood clots and an infection that went through her whole body. Her mental state was put to the limit but she is a true fighter.
But there was one shining light ahead for Sue and Brian – their special greyhound Wyndra All Class or ‘Annie’ as she is known around the kennel. ‘Annie’ was an anniversary present for Sue just before Christmas.
If ever there was a race that deserved a special outcome it was the National Futurity and the racing gods certainly delivered one with Wyndra All Class.
“Nothing was going right the day before as I had to take Sue to hospital. She had problems with her blood sugar and with the steroids created a condition called hypoglycemia,” said Brian.
“She spent the night in hospital and then I took her home where she slept the entire day on the Saturday.
“But nothing was going to keep her from going to Wentworth Park.”
Wyndra All Class (closely related to Wow) put herself in the race early and trailed the leader to the home turn before going on to land the Group One.
She is trained by young conditioner Daniel Gatt who has done a wonderful job with her, winning 10 races from 17 starts for $105,000 in prizemoney.
The first prize of $75,000 was far from their minds, the win was all about giving Sue a treasured few minutes.
“I can’t believe the congratulations that have come from everywhere, including Andy and Jodie Lord, Kel Greenough and Jamie Ennis,” said Brian.
“The tears that I saw from people at the track – even a couple in the media – really stunned me but it showed how emotional this occasion was and how people realize how important life is.”
Gatt is looking for a new property as he has to vacate his current rented home.
To show how amazing Sue and Brian are, they want to use some of the Futurity prizemoney to help Gatt set up again.
Just maybe this miracle win by ‘Annie’ might also provide a little twist in the doctor’s predictions that may also lengthen Sue’s life.
