
Al adopts new silks to help us follow Brisbane team - and guess what, they’re green!
Lincoln Farms’ owners will soon find it easier to follow their horses in Queensland with trainer Al Barnes adopting a new set of colours for the Kiwi horses.
When Lincoln’s Girl and Vasari race at Albion Park on Friday night they will be sporting Barnes’ black colours with a white, red and yellow sash.
But Barnes figures few of the horses’ owners are familiar with his garb so in future that pair, plus hi-flyers Northview Hustler and Trojan Banner, will carry Lincoln Farms’ familiar bottle green.
But Barnes has a new twist on the theme, adding the words Lincoln Farms in white to the colours which he hopes will feature prominently at the upcoming winter carnival.
Barnes says he didn’t want to offend Lincoln Farms’ No. 1 trainer Ray Green by simply copying his colours which have cream cuffs and a cream collar.
“But I thought the new look will help Lincoln Farms’ owners find their horses during a race and it will help advertise Lincoln Farms.’’
Barnes has made a great start training Lincoln Farms’ horses in Queensland with Trojan Banner unbeaten in five starts, Northview Hustler a winner in his only start, and Lincoln’s Girl in the winners’ circle twice.
Barnes is hoping the new silks arrive next week and in the meantime believes Lincoln’s Girl and Vasari are both each way chances on Friday.
Lincoln’s Girl … relying on luck from the second row.“Lincoln’s Girl went super last time - I didn’t know how brave she’d be when I saw her caught in the chair (death seat), but Hayden was very happy with how she went.’’
Unable to cross the pole marker at the start from three, Lincoln’s Girl sat parked throughout the 1660 metres, before taking the lead turning for home.
It was only in the final few metres that the filly was swamped, finishing a nose and 1.3 metres from the winner in a 1:55.1 mile rate.
“It was only the horses that had the drop on us that beat us,’’ says Barnes.
“And we now know if need be she has the stamina to slide round to the chair.’’
Lincoln’s Girl doesn’t have the luxury of being able to gun for the lead on Friday night, and drawn two on the second row will need an ounce of luck to feature.
Barnes believes she’s a top two chance with the breaks but says she only has to finish in the first half of the field to progress to the final of the $10,000 Pot Of Gold event.
“It’s not a bad field but she’s as good as anything else in there.’’
A round from home and Vasari is in trouble, snookered three deep on the markers.Vasari again gets his chance to lead from three on the front in the final race at 7.22pm NZ time.
Barnes hoped Vasari would lead last week in a heat of the Young Drivers’ Championship but thought his driver Taleah McMullen was a little timid at the start.
“She didn’t really chase him out and got caught three deep.’’
That virtually took the horse out of play because Vasari is a one-pacer who can’t accelerate on a dime.
By the time Vasari got out it was too late yet he still closed to within 3 metres and a head of winner Corey William in a sizzling 1:52.4 mile rate.
His closing 800 metres of 55.45 was the second fastest in the race and easily faster than the first two home.
With his son Hayden back in the cart on Friday night, Barnes says Vasari should get out a lot better and have his chance to cross the pole marker Magoogan who can begin smartly.
“The horse is really well and he’ll win one soon. It’s a good line-up but he should run top three.’’
Lincoln’s Girl runs at 2.42pm NZ time on Friday.
Vasari runs at 7.22pm NZ time on Friday.
More news in Harness
Friday night’s main event: In the blue corner, Tyson, in the red corner, Sugar Ray
After 40 years in the sulky, Fergie’s just loving his renaissance in the lincoln green silks
Big-spending Mike Tanev snares The Rascal and he’s off to Canada next week
Dreams Of Eric goes from black and blue to blue and white, now for Harness 5000
Our runners this week: How our trainer rates them

Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 4: Tyson
6.59pm
“He was tough again in winning last week. He’s trained on well, is in good shape, and should be right in it.”
Race 4: Sugar Ray Lincoln
6.59pm
“He’s finally getting his act together - he’s gone three good races in a row - and seemingly turned the corner. We’ve had a lot of (vet) work done on him, his feet in particular, and it’s paid off. There’s not much between him and Tyson.”
Race 5: Rivergirl Bella
7.23pm
“She’ll need everything to go her way from the draw. But she’s got a bit of speed. She’s getting there. She wasn’t very strong before and wasn’t tracking too well, but she’s driving right now.”
Race 5: Lincoln Linda
7.23pm
“She’s had a few issues, mostly mental ones, and is still a bit of a handful. It wasn’t very pretty last week but we’re slowly getting her under control. The outside draw might actually help her.”
Race 5: Angelic Copy
7.23pm
“She needs only a half decent trip to feature. She got held up a little bit in the straight at a crucial time last week and that was that.”
Race 6: Prince Lincoln
7.49pm
“He’s drawn the best of ours in three. He got cheated for a run last week. It’s hard to know where he’d have finished without that.”
Race 6: Lincoln Lover
7.49pm
“Ferg reckoned if he’d been able to hold up in the trail last week he would have won. He was very bullish about how he’d gone. The draw’s no help but he can do a bit of work. He’s an honest little guy who saves his best for when the money’s up on racenight.”
Race 6: Johnny Lincoln
7.49pm
“He got a bit keen last week but he should be a lot better this time. He’s still learning and he’s a slow learner. When he does things correctly he’s a pretty nice horse. Hopefully he can get a suck into it from the second row draw.”