Tiger, tiger, burning bright - Queensland bush fires a little too close for comfort
By Barry Lichter • 10 October 2019
Queensland’s bush fires got a little too close for comfort for Lincoln Farms’ trainer Al Barnes this week.
Thirty fires are burning across the state but when one jumped the main highway near Marburg, residents of the small town were at one stage warned to evacuate.
The blaze, about 3km from Barnes’ Marburg stables, caused a major traffic jam when the main route between Ipswich and Toowoomba was closed as firefighters battled to contain it.
“It was only a small fire but if it had got out of control across the road we would have had 30 minutes to get out - which isn’t long when you’ve got to move 20 horses,” says Barnes.
“I had an evacuation plan ready but thankfully the helicopter bombers were there very quickly.
“The conditions are very dangerous at the moment with very hot, dry days and 40km to 50km winds. We’re in severe drought and it only takes a lightning strike on the grass to start a fire.”
The fire near Marburg caused a major traffic jam when the main highway was closed.Barnes is hoping forecasted showers arrive soon but already the temperatures have dropped from several days of 40 degrees to only 24, he says.
Barnes wonders if the heat contributed to Sir Tiger’s disappointing showing in last week’s Pot Of Gold Final, when he stopped to sixth after sitting parked for the last lap.
“He’s still getting used to the heat and maybe that, combined with a hard run, was a bit too much for him.
“He might also not be strong enough to sit in the chair and run 1:54, but I thought he should have won it - they were nearly all fillies against him.”
Barnes decided to try something different with Sir Tiger this week in preparation for Friday afternoon’s fifth race at Albion Park.
“Maybe we over-trained him last week? I’ve backed off him a little and kept him fresh and we’ll drive him like a sit-sprinter this time to give him some confidence. It’s a reasonably even field but I’m sure he’ll be competitive if we do that and be right in the money.”
Barnes says he’s still learning about Sir Tiger who starts from gate five, an awkward spot on the front row.
But he suspects from what he’s seen so far that Sir Tiger needs gelding.
“He might not have tried his best last week. He’s not colty or nasty but I want to make him a racehorse and there’s no advantage in keeping him a colt.
“Some colts have a killer attitude but others turn into pigs and you’ve only got to compare them on race night to geldings to notice the difference.”
Barnes says he’s likely to race Sir Tiger a few times before making the decision but he doesn’t want to risk leaving it too late.
If Sir Tiger was gelded soon, then rested, he could be prepared in time for the Victoria Derby in January.
“I don’t know if he’s up to it yet but you’ve got to give it a go.”
Sir Tiger races at 4.12pm NZ time at Albion Park on Friday afternoon.
More news in Harness
Prince Lincoln spearheads record-sized team for Lincoln Farms at Cambridge on Friday
Ray cautions punters with no lead this time for Jekyll and Hyde colt Prince Lincoln
Two (not so) secret weapons help Lincoln Farms to $29,287 payday at Cambridge
Deb dresses her latest ‘Copy’ weanling in white and he delivers a Major coup
Our runners this week: How our trainer rates them
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Spirited Belle
4.46pm
Delany: “I saw she’d been punted but somebody must know something we don’t as I’ve been working her myself and, while she feels all right and hasn’t put the boot in like at Auckland, I think she’ll need the run. She hasn’t got any high speed but feels like she will stay. She has improved a bit but I’d be surprised if she won.”
Race 1: Lincoln Maree
4.46pm
“It’s always hard from these draws but she’s a tough mare who will make her own luck at some stage. She’s going well enough - her drivers have all been happy - and she’s a little warrior who tries like hell.”
Race 2: Major Copy
5.12pm
“He’s only two and very inexperienced but he feels like a good colt and there’s a lot of improvement in him. He certainly caught a lot of people’s attention last time. I don’t know how good he is yet but he’ll be right there.”
Race 2: Prince Lincoln
5.12pm
“If he can lead without having to do too much work I can’t see anything beating him. I thought he went great last start. He pressed the winner hard ’til the corner then just flattened out in the run home, but he had every reason to do that after all the work he’d done.”
Race 4: Spirit Of God
6.12pm
“She’s been undone by bad draws. If she led easily from three she’d be hard to beat as she’s a good front-runner.”
Race 4: Spirited Peggy
6.12pm
“We’ve had her for only two weeks but she’s seven now and has had her chance to win one. She has a bit of speed but I think she gets pulling so we’ve got the Hidez (compression) hood on her and plugged her ears up.”
Race 6: Copy N Paste
7.10pm
“We won’t see the best of him for another six months. He’s been a slow developing horse but is improving all the time and getting stronger.”
Race 6: Jessie Lincoln
7.10pm
“If I was having a bet on one of them in the race it would be her. She deserves to win one. Her last two have been really good - she just ran into one who was a bit slicker last time in Major Copy.”
Race 6: Lincoln Dealer
7.10pm
“He’s a bit one-dimensional - you’ve got to feed him track and let him run - so the second row draw is a big handicap. To his credit I was surprised he finished so close last time after all the work he did. When he gets a decent draw and crosses them they’ll know they’re at the races. He’s got a big motor and tries hard.”
Race 8: Rivergirl Bella
8.08pm
“She clawed her way to the front last time but had nothing left at the finish. That won’t happen this time and she should lead easily from one.”
Race 8: Angelic Copy
8.08pm
“She’s had terrible draws but has been going good races. The others last time were just better than her but this is a big drop in class. With the right trip she could get some of it at huge odds.”
Race 9: Sugar Ray Lincoln
8.35pm
“He’s not quick away from a stand but he won’t muff it completely. He steps from the front line and Peter Ferguson was quite happy with his last run.”
Race 9: Lincoln Wave
8.35pm
“He bombed the stand the first time but to be fair all those horses were rushing up at him from the back and that panicked him a bit. He’s on 10 metres this time so that won’t happen.”
