Al: We’ll be in front after 400 metres - Hustler’s the one to beat in Redcliffe Gold Cup
By Barry Lichter • 26 June 2020
Northview Hustler might be on a 10 metre handicap in Saturday night’s A$25,630 Redcliffe Gold Cup but trainer Al Barnes says to expect him to be in front after 400 metres.
And from there, he says “good luck to those chasing him” as the horse has the speed to reel off a 54 last half round the tight triangular circuit.
“He’s a $3.60 favourite and in my opinion those are generous odds.
“For a horse like him, that steps so fast, 10 metres isn’t much of a handicap and we’re fairly confident of winning.
“Most of those horses on the front line won’t step like him. We don’t have that many stands over here and more than half of them will probably canter and be slow away.
“Hustler’s definitely the horse to beat. He’s improved through the week, has tightened up, and licked his bowl clean.”
Barnes was rapt with the Hustler’s first-up run last week when he all but beat Queensland champ Colt Thirty One at Albion Park in his first start for more than three months.
The Hustler looked to have the measure of Cost Thirty One when he dashed clear turning for home but just ran out of condition late, collared a long neck.
Top driver Pete McMullen, standing in for Barnes’ suspended son Hayden, did a great job considering he didn’t know the horse, and how much speed he had.
“And if we had won that race we’d have been a $1.80 favourite on Saturday.”
Barnes believes Northview Hustler is the best horse in the race and, while another backmarker Tennyson Bromac will provide tough opposition, he says the longer 2613 metres will really suit ther Lincoln Farms horse.
“It’s a good race for him and I expect him to beat them for speed even though a few might try to turn it into a staying test.
“But there are no Colt Thirty Ones in the field and Hayden’s back on this time.”
Barnes says after a horrible eight months when the Hustler has had one setback after another, he’s delighted the horse is finally sound again.
“It’s nice to have him back on the right track.”
Northview Hustler races at 10.07pm NZ time at Redcliffe on Saturday night.
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Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Rivergirl Bella
5.40pm
“She’s going as good as she can. She’s got a bit of speed but isn’t that strong. But she should get a nice trip here and be right in the frame. She’ll win one soon.”
Race 1: Jessie Lincoln
5.40pm
“She’s a big filly who has taken time to mature but she has plenty of ability. She’s a good pacer and I expect her to improve on her resuming run and go well.”
Race 1: Lincoln Dealer
5.40pm
“He’s a bit of a handful, too keen for his own good sometimes, so I’ll be happy to see him just get round and do most things right. He’s no superstar but he’s coming to it slowly but surely. We’re throwing him in the deep end here and he has a terrible draw but we have to start somewhere.”
Race 4: Lincoln Maree
7.04pm
“She’s as tough as old boots and tries like hell and you can’t ask for much more than that. She just lacks a bit of speed but has a good attitude. She usually finds one or two better than her but will make them work for it anyway.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Prince Lincoln
4.56pm
“He’ll be improved for the last run, has trialled and is working well, and has a better draw (the ace) this time. You just have to be a bit wary because he’s let us down a couple of times.”
Race 3: Angelic Copy
5.56pm
“She had a tie-up issue but seems much better now. It’s her first run for a while so she’ll definitely need the run. I’m just hoping she gets around all right and pulls up OK.”
Race 3: Colonel Lincoln
5.56pm
“He’s a very capable horse, if injury prone, and he’s been back in work for three or four months. You never say never but, realistically, he’s just starting off so you can’t expect him to be at his peak.”
Race 5: Sammy Lincoln
6.55pm
“I know I said it two starts back but if there’s such a thing as a certainty, he’s it. Even from seven on the gate, everything says he’s the one to beat. If he hadn’t gone a bit goofy up the home straight last time in the Sires’ Stakes Semi at Cambridge, he’d have easily run third. This is a huge drop in class.”
Race 7: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.58pm
“I expect he’ll be a bit sharper this time. He’s looking well and feeling good but I still think another run under his belt will be beneficial for him. He’s not one to leap out of the ground but he is capable of taking the race.”
