Trainer Al Barnes with driver son Hayden after winning the Flashing Red with Northview Hustler last May. PHOTO: Dan Costello.
Hustler gets better draw but he’s still not 100% so don’t expect too much on Saturday night
By Barry Lichter • 6 March 2020
Saturday night’s race at Albion Park won’t be easy for Northview Hustler who is still on the mend after his aborted trip to New South Wales.
Trainer Al Barnes made the decision to bring the horse home after he first had infections blow out of his heels on the morning of his first race then he missed out on getting a start the following week.
And while he says the Hustler missed only one fast training session in Sydney and has been working solidly since returning home nine days ago, his feet are still not 100 percent.
“His feet are still growing out and are a bit sensitive but 90 percent of horses have sore feet. He got new shoes on today but he hasn’t trialled so we don’t know where he’s at fitness wise.”
Barnes says even though Hustler has drawn three, his best alley in three starts since resuming, he is surrounded by horses with high gate speed, Smooth Showgirl, Sams The Master and Glenferrie Hood all gate flyers.
“I don’t know where he’ll end up. We’ll be aggressive, go forward and have a crack because we know he can do it tough, but it’s going to be a fast-run mile.
“We’d like to be in front but I don’t know if they’ll give us that respect with his form.”
Despite all that Barnes says he’s hoping to see something from the Hustler with some decent races coming up for him in the next six weeks.
“But whatever he does tomorrow night he’ll improve on.”
Northview Hustler races at 10.41pm NZ time at Albion Park on Saturday night.
More news in Harness
Lincoln Wave scorches in, still on target for richer races and Sammy’s making progress too
Johnny Lincoln’s big ticker will stand to him in the States and Lover’s also sold to Aussie
No Jumals to beat this time at the Park so Ray’s looking for Lincoln Wave to roll in
Lincoln Linda best of the night at Cambridge - she has the engine to cross Soul Artist
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Rivergirl Bella
5.44pm
“She did well here last time as she had to do a bit to get to the lead and she dug in and fought on. She’s certainly a chance if she repeats that effort.”
Race 4: Lincoln Linda
7.09pm
“I thought she went super last time after doing a lot of work. She can do that because she has an engine and is tough. She’s a bit one-dimensional - you have to turn her loose early - but from the two draw she should be able to lead and that’s where she does her best work.”
Race 5: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.34pm
“I think he’s a bit stronger after his spell. It’s not a great field - most will die on that mark - and I don’t see a problem with the standing start as he’s nicely gaited. He could be marginally unfit after three months out but he’s done quite a bit of work and I can see him going a half-decent race.”
Race 6: Lincoln Maree
7.59pm
“She had every chance last time but I can’t see why she won’t go well again. She’s as honest as they come and tries like hell.”
Race 7: The Night Fox
8.29pm
“You’d think he’d lead easily from the inside. He’s had bad draws and still got the money, so I’m sure he’ll go another good race. I’m surprised they sold him so cheaply. He’s better than people think.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Lincoln Wave
5.09pm
“With the trip he got in the Harness Million I thought he’d have run on a lot better. But he was still a bit short on fitness and sometimes we can expect too much of these horses, he was racing the best, after all. It’s a big drop in grade here and he’s a pretty fair horse.”
Race 1: Leo Lincoln
5.09pm
“He’s an honest sort who’s in a good space but he won’t get a wonderful trip from the outside of the gate this time so I’m not holding my breath.”
Race 3: Sammy Lincoln
6.04pm
“He’s training down well but you never know what he’s going to do. You think you’ve got him sorted and he does something silly. But we know if the real Sammy turned up, he’d be very hard to beat as he’s got a lot of speed.”
Race 5: Prince Lincoln
7.05pm
“He’s another where you don’t know which one will turn up but we’ve gelded him since his last run, so we’ll see if that helps. He trained well the other day.”
