Sir Tiger finally lands an alley at Cambridge on Thursday night.
At long last, Sir Tiger gets a good draw on Thursday - and just watch Zac use it
By Barry Lichter • 16 April 2019
Lincoln Farms’ top two Young Guns might be missing but Sir Tiger’s long overdue luck with the barrier draw could still see it capture the north’s first Sires’ Stakes heat at Cambridge on Thursday night.
Neither of trainer Ray Green’s crack two-year-olds Line Up or Perfect Stride will be seen in action for a while after recent setbacks.
Line Up … soreness prompted two months rest.Line Up was having growing pains and is enjoying two months in the paddock while Perfect Stride was given a month off to completely get over a virus and has been back in work for only a week and a half.
But in Mr Reliable Sir Tiger, Green has a worthy backup, especially now he has drawn the pole for the 1700 metre dash.
The Sir Lincoln colt’s record of three placings from seven starts would have read a lot better had he not been plagued by impossibly wide draws and forced to do too much work.
In seven starts Sir Tiger has drawn 7, 6, 7, 2, 8, 9 and 8. And he made the most of his only good draw when best of the rest behind his super impressive stablemate Line Up.
Typical of his bad luck, he started from the outside of the gate in the Young Guns Final, was hampered early, forced to race wide before finding the death seat 1100 metres out, then all but wiped out by an errant running Virgil in the run home.
Inside second row draws are usually the kiss of death but for Sir Tiger it was almost a godsend two starts back. Following out stablemate Hilary Barry then racing three deep, he mounted the fastest last quarter of 27.7 up the passing lane to run third to pacemaker Bad To The Bone and Eagle Watch.
Against older maiden opposition last week, it was back to normal transmission as Sir Tiger was again stuck on the outside of the gate.
And this time it all went bad turning into the home straight after 400 metres when driver Zachary Butcher tried to restrain him from three wide into the running line.
Pacing too keenly and resenting the brakes being applied, Sir Tiger went roughly and broke for about nine strides before settling, not something he’d done before.
Sir Tiger … over-raced in blinkers last week.“We had blinkers on him for the first time and he just over-raced,’’ says Green. “They’re coming off this week.
“Zac might have been better to let him stride along last week instead of being cute. He’s not really a sit and sprint horse.’’
More a rolling type, lacking a yard of high speed, Green sees the pole draw as a huge benefit to Sir Tiger on Thursday.
Butcher was behind Bad To The Bone at Auckland two starts back but sticks with Sir Tiger this time and will unquestionably be out to hold the lead from gate release.
And the way the horse finished last week for fifth, after being forced four wide round the home bend and running only 4.4 lengths from winner Eyespywithmylittleye, augurs well for Thursday night when he is back to his own age group.
More news in Harness
Spiritual Bliss and Lincoln Maree add to Lincoln Farms’ gallery of Manawatu heroes
Video clue on why Lincoln Lover is tipped to go boldly fresh-up at Auckland on Friday night
A picture of Bliss but poor Harry’s arms were nearly pulled out of their sockets
Ultra-consistent Kevin Kline sold to the United States: Why Ray’s sorry to lose him
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Nathan’s comments
Thursday night at Manawatu
Race 4: Spiritual Bliss
6.25pm
“She won well on the first day but pulled very hard - Harry said his arms were that tired afterwards he couldn’t have lifted a 1kg dumb bell. She’s meeting a few nice ones here, up in grade, but she’s drawn better so you can’t count her out. She tries hard and really digs in.”
Race 7: Lincoln Downs
7.50pm
“She did everything right on Tuesday but she blew heavily afterwards and I think the heat got to her. She’s a place chance if she recovers OK.”
Race 8: Lincoln Maree
8.22pm
“She was jumping shadows on Tuesday and moves to the last race this time but she’s not the most genuine so I’m not holding my breath.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 3: Lincoln Lover
6.28pm
“He hasn’t raced for three months but trialled really well. I pick he’s going to win one pretty quickly and, given he’s been running against the best two-year-olds in his previous preps, it should really be on Friday night. This lot of maidens aren’t in the same class and he’s as honest as they come, a tough little trier.”
Race 6: Debbie Lincoln
8.09pm
“She’s really up against it from the outside of the second line, with all the favourites drawn well. She has to be the unluckest animal on the planet. With her, what can go wrong will. Even at the best of times you need a reasonable draw to figure but drawn in the bondocks here she’ll need incredible luck.”
Race 8: Sugar Ray Lincoln
9.09pm
“He had a short break while some vet work was done but is in good trim. Yes, there are a few in here that are vastly higher rated but his formline says it all - it’s not often he doesn’t get a cheque.”
Race 8: Tyson
9.09pm
“He was a bit unlucky last week that he didn’t get to them a bit sooner otherwise I think he would have won. Maurice said he thought they’d come back to him more, going 2:39 speed, but his closing sectionals were easily the best in the race.”
Race 10: Prince Lincoln
10.09pm
“He’s grown into a beautiful horse, a quality looking colt, and who knows what he could be. He’ll obviously improve with the run but I still expect him to run well from his good draw. He trialled very well behind a good one.”
Race 10: Johnny Lincoln
10.09pm
“He’s drawn a bit awkwardly in seven, which gives Prince Lincoln the edge, but he too was making good ground in the workout.”
