Al handcuffed by stifling heat so don’t expect Sir Tiger to be at his best on Friday night
By Barry Lichter • 12 December 2019
Recent temperatures in the high 30s and low 40s mean Sir Tiger will be only 90% fit when he resumes racing at Albion Park on Friday night.
Trainer Al Barnes has been forced to back off Sir Tiger’s workload in the very hot and muggy Queensland weather which he says could hang round for another couple of weeks.
“You’ve got to ride it out when it’s like this and just keep them ticking over - you can’t pump them in between races.”
For Sir Tiger that’s pretty significant as he hasn’t raced since running second on October 25 after which he was gelded.
Barnes intended racing Sir Tiger last Friday after he finished a head second in a trial on November 26 but decided, because very high temperatures were forecast on racenight, to only trial him again earlier that week.
Al Barnes … Sir Tiger has a good trailing draw.Pitted against free-for-allers, Sir Tiger finished sixth equal, driver Hayden Barnes not pressuring him after he sat parked in the running and the leaders whipped home in 54.8. The winner, Rock With Sam (15 wins) clocked a mile rate of 1:58 for the 1660 metres.
“He got tired in the last 100 metres, blew up, and had a good puff.
“Sitting parked is not his go either. He needs to be saved for one sprint and that’s how we’ll drive him on Friday.”
Barnes says Sir Tiger has a good trailing draw on the second row and describes his opposition as very even with no standouts.
“I’m hoping the gelding will turn him into a more genuine racehorse and if he raced to his full potential he’d be hard to beat.
“He’s still high in testosterone but I hope to see good improvement in the next few weeks when we get him into a consistent pattern of weekly racing.”
Barnes says Sir Tiger has been pacing better since he fitted him with a one legged spreader to keep him from hitting his splint.
Sir Tiger races at 11.38pm NZ time at Albion Park on Friday night.
More news in Harness
Spiritual Bliss notches hat-trick and pushes Lincoln Farms’ season tally to record 43
Hubby nearly in the dog box after Tyson delivers Debbie a Golden Gait knockout blow
Debbie lands Golden draw at last in her bid to give Sampson a haircut at the Park
Spiritual Bliss and Lincoln Maree add to Lincoln Farms’ gallery of Manawatu heroes
Our runners this week
Wednesday twilight at Auckland
Prince Lincoln, Johnny Lincoln, Spiritual Bliss, Debbie Lincoln, Tyson, Leo Lincoln.
Our runners this week: How our trainer rates them
Ray’s comments
Wednesday at Cambridge
Race 3: Spiritual Bliss
1.10pm
“You can’t fault what she’s done up here and she’s trained on really well since Manawatu. She seems to have a good motor and can carry her speed a long way. It’s a bit of a step-up on Wednesday, and she’s drawn out a bit, but she should be right in the fray.”
Race 4: Lincoln Lover
1.45pm
“It’s a huge drop in class for him on what he’s been racing. The Purdon horse Crippa Max looks the one to beat on his trial but I’m picking we’ll finish in the first three at worst. He’s very honest and does nothing wrong.”
Race 6: Lincoln Downs
2.55pm
“She got skittled early last time when one galloped in front of her, and that didn’t help. It would be nice to see her get a good trip, with no incidents, and see what she can do. She’s no superstar but she tries hard.”
Race 9: Leo Lincoln
4.31pm
“It’s his first race for more than four months and I’m picking he’ll need the run. It was a toss-up whether we went to the trials, but he’d probably have had no opposition, so it made sense to drop him in here. He’s training well and seems in good shape but whatever he does, he’ll improve on.”
