It’s close but Trojan Banner has Feelingforarainbow covered at the finish at Redcliffe last night.
Al says yes to the Redcliffe Derby after Trojan extends unbeaten run to six - but it was close!
By Barry Lichter • 13 June 2019
Trojan Banner might have won by only a small margin last night but he got round the tricky triangular track well enough to earn a tilt at the $21,000 Redcliffe Derby on Saturday week.
Fans of the Kiwi colt might have been getting a little concerned as he tired late to scrape home by half a head, returning a rock bottom $1 for a win and $1 for a place.
But trainer Al Barnes wasn’t worried about the tight finish, which only exposed his lack of race fitness.
Barnes saw what he wanted and afterwards got the right report from driver son Hayden that Trojan Banner paced well enough round the circuit to make him competitive in the Redcliffe Derby.
“We made a few gear changes - used a gaiting strap to keep him straight in behind - and swapped to a snaffle bit and jaw breaker to give Hayden a bit more leverage on his mouth.
“It didn’t stop him hanging completely, but he was manageable, and he didn’t get on himself.
“And he would have paced a 56 last half and that’s as quick as they go around Redcliffe.’’
Al Barnes … Trojan Banner is still a little tubby.True to the plan Barnes disclosed before the race, Trojan Banner went back at the start, so as not to turn the race into a Sunday afternoon stroll in front.
Hayden sat last in the five-horse field until the 1000 metre mark when he pulled out and started working up to park outside the leader Let’s Dig It.
Trojan Banner easily claimed the lead turning for home and looked to be in for a comfortable win until Feelingforarainbow started to make inroads.
While the margin was close at the finish of the 2040 metres, Trojan Banner never looked like being run down and extended his unbeaten winning streak in Queensland to six.
“You like to see them running away but he got the job done, because he’s a tradesman, and it was only his fitness that let him down.
“We probably thought he was a bit more forward but he hasn’t had a lot of fast work, only two or three hitouts at home plus his trial. And good horses can run 1:55 in a trial.
“He’s still a little tubby which is good as we don’t want him spot on for the first derby.’’
Barnes says he may now trial Trojan Banner at Albion Park on Tuesday to top off his fitness.
“Otherwise it’s 10 days between runs and we can’t do real fast work at home as we only have a 650 metre track.’’
More news in Harness
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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.”
