Al looking for good showing from Bondi Shake in Queensland opener on Tuesday
By Barry Lichter • 16 November 2020
Newcomer to Queensland Bondi Shake will be improved for his trial last week and, while a work in progress, can still run in the top three at Albion Park on Tuesday night.
Trainer Al Barnes says he will learn more about the horse from how he copes in his Brisbane debut but Lincoln Farms’ latest import has already shown enough ability to be competitive.
Bondi Shake was quite fresh when third in his 1660 metre trial last Tuesday, late joining the score-up for Hayden Barnes and settling in the rear.
The gelding found a distant one-one possie at the bell and made up nice ground late on the leaders who ripped home in 55.8 and 28.1 to record a 1:56.4 mile rate.
“He wasn’t pacing the greatest and Hayden held him back a little because he wanted to chase. He just kept him balanced to get his confidence up.
“The horse has enough ability but he’s not the greatest gaited, like a lot of the Somebeachsomewheres.
“But he’ll keep improving and, while there are a couple of handy ones in against him, he can run top three from the draw.”
Bondi Shake, who last raced three weeks ago at Cambridge, is raced by Lincoln Farms and a big team of partners including Bob Best, Merle Gradwell, Pat Gubb, Lance Myocevich, Steve Beckett, Kevin Bell, Margaret Rabbitt, the Joeraeme Syndicate and Athenry Syndicate.
He ran two placings from 11 starts in New Zealand, throwing away a win at Cambridge two starts back when breaking as he was about to hit the lead close to home.
Barnes is hoping he can reward his owners in the next couple of months as he is still classed as a two-year-old in Australia until the end of the year and gets in on a very low rating of 31.
Man Of Action will be hard to beat from the front. PHOTO: Dan Costello.Man Of Action and Larry Lincoln clash in the seventh race on Tuesday night, drawn nicely in gates two and four.
And while Larry Lincoln notched a hat-trick of wins last week with a dazzling show of speed, Barnes says if he had to single one out he’d plump for Man Of Action who has been in the money in five of his seven starts in Brisbane.
“Man Of Action will lead and he’ll be hard to catch. He’s tough and is always in for a fight.
“It will depend on the tempo but if he can run 1:53 or 1:54 in front, and make it a staying test, it will take a good one to beat him.
“The one thing he can’t beat is one zipping home late down the outside and Larry could be that one.
“He can sit on any pace and, if he can be saved for one run, he’s lethal. But it will depend on what kind of trip he gets.”
Barnes says the field looks quite even, with lots of form, but he could see his pair running one-two with the right trips.
Bondi Shake races at 4.37pm NZ time at Albion Park on Tuesday.
Man Of Action and Larry Lincoln race at 7.37pm NZ time at Albion Park on Tuesday.
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Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Angelic Copy
4.53pm
“She’s done everything right and trialled really nicely. I think she’s forward enough to give some cheek. She’s only small. You like to think when you get a good two-year-old like her that they’ll get stronger and transition into a nice three-year-old but she hasn’t grown an inch. But she tries hard and enjoys being out there.”
Race 2: Major Copy
5.28pm
“I’m looking forward to seeing him. You never really know ’til you get to the races but he’s trialled well enough to start and I wouldn’t be surprised if he went a good race, despite the draw. He’s a nice sensible colt who’s done nothing wrong and he could develop into a really nice three-year-old.”
Race 6: Lincoln Wave
7.22pm
“He was starting to get into the habit of switching off so we trained him in blinds this week and he went pretty well. He was good from a standing start at the trials with shorteners in and Maurice was actually quite bullish about his standing start manners and thinks that, in time, he’ll end up being a quick beginner. If he steps well, and can land in the first one or two, he’ll definitely be hard to get round.”
Race 6: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.22pm
“He’s not spectacular from a stand but he will get away, albeit sometimes a bit slowly. Lincoln Wave has more speed than him but if it comes down to a slugfest he’d be too strong as he’s rock hard fit.”
Race 8: Prince Lincoln
8.23pm
“The blinds go back on this week and if he steps and leads like he did three starts ago that would make him the one to beat. He showed with that win that he’s above average and will be a serious chance.”
Race 8: Rivergirl Bella
8.23pm
“You could argue she’s a Cambridge horse but sometimes when you throw them in with the bear cats they lift their game and I thought she was really good here last week. Tony (Cameron) said she’d have finished a bit closer too if he hadn’t had to take hold of her close to home (when he ran out of room and hit a marker pole).”
Race 8: Sammy Lincoln
8.23pm
“We’ve got blinds on him this week. Harry said he lost concentration a couple of times last week, including at the top of the straight, and thought he’d be a bit more on to it with blinds on. I still thought his was the run of the race last time - none of the others could have done what he did - and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him score.”
