Vasari pacing fluently in front for driver Hayden Barnes. PHOTO: Dan Costello.
Al confident with Vasari who will enjoy big drop in class at Redcliffe on Wednesday night
By Barry Lichter • 23 July 2019
Vasari can turn his form line on its head in the opening race at Redcliffe on Wednesday night, tips trainer Al Barnes.
The form digits alongside Vasari’s name - 84940 - might appear bleak but he hasn’t been racing badly and will enjoy a huge drop in grade on Wednesday night in the 1780 metre sprint.
“This is a nice race for him and he’ll be short (in the betting),” says Barnes. “He’s been racing against pretty tough opposition at Albion Park and running on well. And his times have been good.
“And even though he ran last in his latest run when a hot favourite, he was unlucky.”
Driven quietly, four back on the outer by Hayden Barnes, Vasari was denied gaps when hooked wide in the run home but ran on nicely when switched back to the inner.
A week before that, he finished a strong fourth to stablemate Trojan Banner.
“From two on the second row I can see him following them through. We’ll let him slide forward and sit outside them or go to the front and he should beat them.
“I’m pretty confident he’ll handle them comfortably.”
Barnes says Vasari will have no trouble with the tight Redcliffe circuit. In two starts there he has run fourth and a big second, when he sat outside the leader.
Vasari races at 7.15pm NZ time at Redcliffe on Wednesday night.
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Ray’s comments
Friday night at Cambridge
Race 5: Sammy Lincoln
6.45pm
“You can’t hold that last race against him and he probably needed the run too as it was his first for a couple of months. Ability-wise he’s very good and on paper he should win. If he turns up, he’s the one to beat for sure.”
Race 6: Colonel Lincoln
7.20pm
“He got hooked up last week in that melee down the back straight and once you lose that momentum it’s hard, particularly when you’re get back in the field. He’ll go an honest race but he really needs to lose a point or two so he can get a better draw or an easier field.”
Race 9: Leo Lincoln
9.07pm
“He was closing on the winner last week, even though American Me had already switched off. There are no American Mes this week and you can guarantee he’ll be in it. He’ll go better the Cambridge way round - he handle the corners a lot better.”
Race 9: Ultimate Cullect
9.07pm
“I thought she went quite a good race last week and her driver Tony Cameron also said she went well and tried hard. She lacks a yard of speed - when they accelerate she flounders a bit - but she winds up and whacks away.”
