High maintenance Hustler makes Al and son Hayden proud with his 16th win - wire to wire
By Barry Lichter • 13 February 2021
Northview Hustler again repaid trainer Al Barnes for all the time he puts into the horse when he scored another all-the-way win at Albion Park in Brisbane tonight.
The Hustler dictated from dispatch, driver Hayden Barnes dictating terms perfectly in front. And after being allowed to get away with opening quarters of 31.2 and 30.3, the little black was never going to be caught, leaving his rivals breathless with his final two sectionals in 27.9 and 26.9 to win by 2.8 metres.
It was Northview Hustler’s eighth win since being sent to Barnes’ Marburg stable in Queensland and 16th in all, taking his earnings from 84 starts to $127,471 in New Zealand and A$103,493 in Australia.
Hayden Barnes has it all sewn up on Northview Hustler tonight.But the going hasn’t been easy for Barnes who looked on with plenty of pride as the seven-year-old led the field back.
“He looks amazing and he’s in great spirits but he’s such a high maintenance horse now. He has trouble with his fetlock and feet and keeping him sound is a real battle.
“He gets corns all the time. I had to cut a big chunk out of his heel after the last carnival.”
Barnes fitted the Hustler with a bar shoe to float the heel and take pressure off the bruising and says he uses ice boots to help his joints every day.
“They go at such high speeds that his joints struggle to handle it but he gets the best care, the best of everything, and he’s responding to it.
“It just shows you what he can do when he gets a draw. The free-for-alls here aren’t weak but they lack depth and he’s really got a motor.”
Barnes said his son was rapt after the race and justifiably so as he did a perfect job rating the horse.
Al Barnes … “Huss is very high maintenance but he gets the best care, the best of everything.”“We’ve got only four horses here so life’s a struggle but it makes it worthwhile when you get a horse like the Hustler and he comes out and does that.”
The Hustler, who was sent out an even money favourite, clocked a mile rate of 1:56.3 for the 2138 metres to beat Rock With Sam, Clintal Do and the second favourite Major Cam, who found the job of coming from last too tough.
Barnes was also delighted with the performance of Larry Lincoln earlier in the night after he went forward, couldn’t get in, and had to be dragged all the way back to last.
Despite that the horse still mounted a big late charge to finish fourth, only 8.7 metres from winner One Off.
“He was huge and is absolutely flying. He’ll get one soon.”
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Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Rivergirl Bella
5.40pm
“She’s going as good as she can. She’s got a bit of speed but isn’t that strong. But she should get a nice trip here and be right in the frame. She’ll win one soon.”
Race 1: Jessie Lincoln
5.40pm
“She’s a big filly who has taken time to mature but she has plenty of ability. She’s a good pacer and I expect her to improve on her resuming run and go well.”
Race 1: Lincoln Dealer
5.40pm
“He’s a bit of a handful, too keen for his own good sometimes, so I’ll be happy to see him just get round and do most things right. He’s no superstar but he’s coming to it slowly but surely. We’re throwing him in the deep end here and he has a terrible draw but we have to start somewhere.”
Race 4: Lincoln Maree
7.04pm
“She’s as tough as old boots and tries like hell and you can’t ask for much more than that. She just lacks a bit of speed but has a good attitude. She usually finds one or two better than her but will make them work for it anyway.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Prince Lincoln
4.56pm
“He’ll be improved for the last run, has trialled and is working well, and has a better draw (the ace) this time. You just have to be a bit wary because he’s let us down a couple of times.”
Race 3: Angelic Copy
5.56pm
“She had a tie-up issue but seems much better now. It’s her first run for a while so she’ll definitely need the run. I’m just hoping she gets around all right and pulls up OK.”
Race 3: Colonel Lincoln
5.56pm
“He’s a very capable horse, if injury prone, and he’s been back in work for three or four months. You never say never but, realistically, he’s just starting off so you can’t expect him to be at his peak.”
Race 5: Sammy Lincoln
6.55pm
“I know I said it two starts back but if there’s such a thing as a certainty, he’s it. Even from seven on the gate, everything says he’s the one to beat. If he hadn’t gone a bit goofy up the home straight last time in the Sires’ Stakes Semi at Cambridge, he’d have easily run third. This is a huge drop in class.”
Race 7: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.58pm
“I expect he’ll be a bit sharper this time. He’s looking well and feeling good but I still think another run under his belt will be beneficial for him. He’s not one to leap out of the ground but he is capable of taking the race.”
