Menu

For once Sir Tiger has a great draw behind the mobile gate - the inside of the front row - for the Sires’ Stakes Final at Addington.

He’s no Sir Lincoln but Sir Tiger will pounce from the pole and track his prey all day

Nearly nine and a half years after Sir Lincoln won the Three-Year-Old Sires’ Stakes Final at Addington, his son Sir Tiger will attempt to upset the Purdon/Rasmussen juggernaut in the two-year-old version at Addington.

But trainer Ray Green is under no illusions about the magnitude of the task facing the Lincoln Farms tradesman on Friday night.

While Sir Tiger has been a real professional this season, seldom getting any luck in the barrier draws, he does not have the X factor which Sir Lincoln showed early in his career.

Sir Lincoln (Maurice McKendry) was a monster on Sires’ Stakes Final day at Addington in 2009. PHOTO: Race Images.Sir Lincoln (Maurice McKendry) was a monster on Sires’ Stakes Final day at Addington in 2009. PHOTO: Race Images.Sir Lincoln didn’t win in four starts as a two-year-old but he came back a different horse at three and by the time he found his way to Addington during cup week in November, 2009, he was a machine, clocking a 1:55.2 mile rate for the 1980 metre final to beat Anvils Best Ever and Franco Hendrix.

Sir Tiger has placed in five of his nine starts and, as Green points out, “has never gone a bad race.’’

In Sir Tiger he sees some of the determination which stamped his dad, who amassed more than $660,000 from his 21 wins.

And, at long last gifted the pole draw in his most important assignment, Green can see Sir Tiger leading out of the gate for aggressive stand-in driver Ken Barron.

“He should hold up from there. He did it easily in the heat at Cambridge two starts back, but I’m sure the Purdon horses will try to smoke us after that.’’

Drawn two, four, five and six, the All Stars’ Smooth Deal, One Change, Virgil and Flying Even Bettor are sure to come calling.

“We’ll just get out as well as we can and then get a suck along behind them,’’ says Green. “And hopefully he can run into the money.

“He’s sat parked against good ones before and run second.’’

In January, after working had to find the death, Sir Tiger clung one well to be best of the rest behind Chicago Bull’s impressive little brother Perfect Stride.

Sir Tiger also breezed for the last 1200 metres of the Group I Cardigan Bay Stakes Young Guns Final in March, when sixth behind Smooth Deal, Virgil and Eagle Watch.

Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them

Nathan Delany

Nathan’s comments

Thusday night at Cambridge

Race 2: Im Not The Maid
5.49pm

“She’s been battling and this will be her last start before going to stud.”

Race 7: Dreams Of Eric
8.04pm

“I’ll leave the tactics up to Harry again. He’s done a good job with the horse. He wanted to take a sit last time so was quite happy when crossed by Rough And Ready, and Harry said he was still on the bit when he hit the line. There are a few nice ones in there, like Diamonds Are Forever, but I’m sure’ll go another good race.”

Nathan Delany

Nathan’s comments

Friday night at Auckland

Race 1: Tyson
5.56pm

“Maurice wanted to try something different last week and found a good run for him but he seems to go better if he can get to the parked position. He needs to run top four to get into Metro Final. He’s trained on well. ”

Race 7: Kevin Kline
8.54pm

“I don’t think the stand will worry him. He steps away pretty well and he never lets you down. I thought he did a great job to win last week given he was a couple of lengths off them at the 700. I know it’s a tough field but so was last week’s field. If everything goes right, he’s a top three chance.”


Dan Costello Race Photography