Northview Hustler (10) is right in the fight behind Ohoka Punter, Colt Thirty One and Watch Pulp Fiction in the Sunshine Sprint.
At last, Hustler gets a trip and his unlucky fourth raises hopes for next week’s rich finale
By Barry Lichter • 13 July 2019
“We’re in with a chance next week, we just need a half decent draw.”
That was trainer Al Barnes’ immediate reaction to Northview Hustler’s outstanding fourth in tonight’s Sunshine Sprint at Albion Park - thinking forward to next Saturday night and the A$250,000 Black A Fake Championship.
For the Hustler showed beyond doubt tonight that he will be competitive in Queensland’s winter feature - getting within 3.5 metres of winner Ohoka Punter despite not really getting a crack at the leaders in the last 400 metres.
“Yes, he was a tad unlucky,’’ said Barnes. “All we needed was for Anthony (Butt) to drop off a few seconds earlier to get out on the home turn.”
Locked in the one-one round the bend, driver Hayden Barnes couldn’t get out to attack with Cullenburn and Butt labouring three wide outside him.
And Barnes was again stymied for room up the home stretch when, after angling in, there wasn’t quite enough room to get his sulky between Ohoka Punter and Colt Thirty One.
Up the home straight and the arrow shows the gap which Northview Hustler couldn’t quite squeeze through.“Hayden said he didn’t quite have enough room and had a bit left in the tank.
“But he was rapt with the run. He said he was nearly tempted to come out of the one-one and slip round into the chair but I’m glad he didn’t.”
Barnes predicted with uncanny precision the run he hoped Hustler would get, and even revealed his pre-race plan not to put Hustler out three wide round the turn and to wait and stake a late claim.
“It just shows you what a half decent draw can do - you don’t have to bust a gut three wide.
“It was a good drive by Hayden and earning a little cheque in a Group One race was OK too.”
Northview Hustler’s fourth saw him take a purse of A$5820, unlucky not to snare the A$8700 claimed by Watch Pulp Fiction who just photo-finished him for third.
The performance also confirmed Barnes’ belief that red hot favourite Colt Thirty One was beatable as, while the local star got his own way front from a perfect draw, he was sprint-laned by his stablemate, going down by 1.3 metres.
Ohoka Punter, a former Kiwi who, incredibly, is rising 10 years old, clocked a mile rate of 1:53.2 for the 1660 metres, the closing sectionals only a steady 55.5 and 27.7.
Wicked sectionals in Derby
In total contrast was the South East Derby earlier in the night, when the sectionals were so wickedly fast Lincoln Farms’ Trojan Banner couldn’t get into the race from his second row draw.
With New South Wales visitor Lochinvar Art speeding along in front, and the All Star’s unbeaten Self Assured looping the field to park, the big guns clocked a sizzling 53.4 for their last 800 metres, and whizzed home in 26.1 for the last 400.
Self Assured, who claimed a nose win at the wire, ran the 2138 metres in a 1:54.1 mile rate.
Lincoln Farms’ Make Way, who was given a sweet one out, three back sit by driver Anthony Butt, dug in bravely in the run home to finish fifth, 8.2 metres from the winner.
More news in Harness
This is it, Sammy, the draw’s a bit of a pain but you can eat these non-winners for breakfast
Prince Lincoln finally shows what he’s made of - and, wow, was that a blazing demolition!
Hey Wendy and Amy, go easy of Fergs as he’s doing a sterling job taming Lincoln Linda
Third time lucky for Wave’s little bro Omaha Lincoln who finally debuts at Auckland
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Rivergirl Bella
5.14pm
“She tries hard and is getting stronger. She just needs a trip to be right there.”
Race 3: Copy N Paste
6.16pm
“Maurice said he got a bit tired on debut but I didn’t expect a lot. Four months ago you’d have wondered if he’d ever qualify. He’ll improve on that - he’s improving all the time - but from seven he’ll have to go back and come into it late.”
Race 5: Lincoln Linda
7.14pm
Update: Scratched
“She’s up in grade but is a chance again if she can get a good run up the front of the field. It was a good effort last time to break 2:43.”
Race 8: Lincoln Maree
8.49pm
“She’s trained on OK and, while no champion, has to be a chance down in grade against the amateur horses.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 4: Jessie Lincoln
6.57pm
“I can’t see her beating Sammy Lincoln but with a good draw at last you’ll see a better performance. She’s capable of finishing in the first three.”
Race 4: Spirit Of God
6.57pm
“She bolted in at the workouts, leading out from a wide gate and getting home in 27.9. She’s a great driving little mare and has good manners. I could see her winning one very soon.”
Race 4: Sammy Lincoln
6.57pm
“I know we’ve said it before but he has been unlucky a few times and, all things being fair and square, it’s hard to see him beaten. The draw is awkward but everything points to him winning. There are no derby horses in there and he went a great race in the Northern Derby last start.”
Race 4: Marylynes Boy
6.57pm
“He’s a tidy little horse. I can’t see him winning from the (second row) draw but he’s like Spirit Of God, he’s not far away from winning one.”
Race 5: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.25pm
“He’s been a late developer. You can see it in his growth, his withers have finally popped up, and he’ll get better as time goes on. He’s no champion but he should be a handy horse through winter. He’s capable of stepping away fairly well.”
Race 5: Leo Lincoln
7.25pm
“It’s a toss-up between the two of them. Sugar Ray is a bit stronger perhaps but Leo is very good from a stand. You can forget that last run in the Messenger - he was only in there to help get the race off the ground.”
Race 7: Prince Lincoln
8.25pm
“He finally showed us what he’s got last week. Inside second row draws can be awkward - you’re at the mercy of the others - but he could end up with a good trail behind the leader.”
