Ashburton couple Sarah and Chris Green and business partner Ger Beemsterboer have experienced plenty of highs in racing under their Barneswood Farm banner, but this weekend could prove to be the pinnacle in their racing endeavours.
The trio sponsor the feature race at their home track on Saturday, the Gr.3 Barneswood Farm Stakes (1400m), while at Caulfield, their Group One winner Desert Lightning will come up against farm graduate Orchestral for the first time in the Gr.1 Toorak Handicap (1600m).
The pair were two of the most exciting horses in New Zealand last summer, with Desert Lightning winning the Gr.1 TAB Classic (1600m) at Trentham in December before taking out the inaugural $1 million Aotearoa Classic (1600m) at Ellerslie at the Karaka Millions meeting in January, where a race later Orchestral was victorious in the Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m).
She went on to win the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) and Gr.1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m), giving the Greens and Beemsterboer a memorable start to the season.
Bred by Barneswood Farm, Orchestral was sold to Cambridge trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood through Haunui Farm's 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft for $625,000.
A year prior, Barneswood Farm were doing the purchasing at the sale, and went to $150,000 to secure Desert Lightning out of Little Avondale's Book 1 draft.
Desert Lightning has taken them on a great ride, while they have also enjoyed watching Orchestral perform to the highest standard on both sides of the Tasman, and they are looking forward to seeing them clash for the first time this weekend.
"To have both of them in the race is pretty special," Sarah Green said. "For me that (Australia) is the pinnacle of racing, so I am very excited about it."
While Green said there is no feeling like winning with your own horse, she gets great satisfaction out of seeing a horse she bred perform so well for her owners, and also add to the family's pedigree page, with Barneswood Farm continuing to breed from her dam Symphonic, who has a full sister to Orchestral at foot.
"It is great to see something you bred get the race for their owners and trainers, and we are proud that we have bred them ourselves," Green said.
With commitments on both sides of the Tasman on Saturday, the Greens have had to split up this weekend, with Sarah Green being the sole representative in Melbourne to cheer on their horses.
"My husband is at Ashburton to present the trophy there and I can't wait to see both of the horses in the Toorak, it's going to be pretty special," she said.
It's been a whirlwind couple of days for Green, who spent less than 24 hours at home following a trip to America, before jumping back on a plane to head to Melbourne.
"I just landed back last night from America where we were visiting our son, who lives in Idaho," Green said. "We also went to Wyoming, Montana, and all over, it was a big road trip and it has been fantastic. We landed home yesterday and I got up at 4am this morning to fly over (to Melbourne)."
Prior to heading to the United States, the Greens were able to take in Desert Lightning's victory in the Gr.3 Sandown Stakes (1500m), and they are hoping he can put in a repeat performance on Saturday for trainers Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman.
"We saw the race before we left, so it was a very exciting way to start the holiday," she said. "He will do his best (on Saturday)."
Green enjoyed her last visit to Caulfield in March where alongside family and friends she watched Desert Lightning compete in the A$3.75 million All-Star Mile (1600m), but she said it will be a completely different experience on this occasion.
"We had all of our family and friends with us that day. It means so much to me to have them with us," Green said. "I am just here on my own this time, so it seems a bit strange."
Desert Lightning is currently a $6.50 third favourite for the Toorak with TAB bookmakers, behind Another Wil ($2.90) and Antino ($4.80), while Orchestral is on the fifth line of betting at $11.
