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.’’
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Ray: Sammy Lincoln has ‘turned the corner’ and can go on with it on Friday night
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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.”
