Atta boy, Joey, that’ll put a smile on the boss’s face back home where it’s all Covid gloom
By Barry Lichter • 31 March 2020
Queensland trainer Al Barnes reckons he might just have given Lincoln Farms’ owner John Street a reason to smile amid the COVID-19 gloom.
At Albion Park today, in his first attempt at qualifying, one-time reject Joey Lincoln paced a blazing 1:55.5 mile rate, without even being pushed.
Sent to the lead after 200 metres, Joey Lincoln paced beautifully throughout the 1660 metres and without driver Hayden Barnes even pulling the ear plugs, strolled home by five metres over Uncle Shank with an ever widening 34 metres back to the third horse.
“We knew he had ability but that was very pleasing,” said Barnes.
Joey Lincoln strolls home, recording some smart sectionals.“He ran up the straight on a loose rein by himself and didn’t do anything wrong, running home in 56.5 and 28.
“I didn’t think he was ready to run those sectionals and Hayden said he was cruising.
“That’s a very quick qualifying time - I thought he’d run about 1:58 to be honest. He’s improved seven seconds in a week (last Tuesday he went 2:02) and to do it so easily, with the plugs still in, was great.”
Barnes was considering giving the Sweet Lou three-year-old another trial but, depending on what his son recommends, he says he might now take him straight to the races.
“He’s ready to go and he’s been up for a long time so he’s not far away from looking for a break. So while he’s happy and doing so well we might just go full steam ahead.”
Joey Lincoln has them strung out today at Albion Park.Barnes says while Joey Lincoln had a reputation for being a bit of a pig, and a long term project, while in early training at Pukekohe, he’d always liked the horse.
“He’s so good to do anything with. He’s not a great walker in the gig - he hasn’t got a lot of patience and wants to get on with it - but he’s got speed.”
Barnes says he keeps the gelding on a minimal diet, with no grain, otherwise he’d be too hot.
“He’s like a kid on red cordial.”
Barnes says he’s looking forward to racing Joey Lincoln after a lean spell in recent months since his better Lincoln Farms horses were sold.
Tomorrow he will find out what the immediate future of Northview Hustler holds when he is X-rayed for a second time to try to detect the cause of inflammation in his fetlock.
More news in Harness
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After 40 years in the sulky, Fergie’s just loving his renaissance in the lincoln green silks
Big-spending Mike Tanev snares The Rascal and he’s off to Canada next week
Dreams Of Eric goes from black and blue to blue and white, now for Harness 5000
Our runners this week: How our trainer rates them
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 4: Tyson
6.59pm
“He was tough again in winning last week. He’s trained on well, is in good shape, and should be right in it.”
Race 4: Sugar Ray Lincoln
6.59pm
“He’s finally getting his act together - he’s gone three good races in a row - and seemingly turned the corner. We’ve had a lot of (vet) work done on him, his feet in particular, and it’s paid off. There’s not much between him and Tyson.”
Race 5: Rivergirl Bella
7.23pm
“She’ll need everything to go her way from the draw. But she’s got a bit of speed. She’s getting there. She wasn’t very strong before and wasn’t tracking too well, but she’s driving right now.”
Race 5: Lincoln Linda
7.23pm
“She’s had a few issues, mostly mental ones, and is still a bit of a handful. It wasn’t very pretty last week but we’re slowly getting her under control. The outside draw might actually help her.”
Race 5: Angelic Copy
7.23pm
“She needs only a half decent trip to feature. She got held up a little bit in the straight at a crucial time last week and that was that.”
Race 6: Prince Lincoln
7.49pm
“He’s drawn the best of ours in three. He got cheated for a run last week. It’s hard to know where he’d have finished without that.”
Race 6: Lincoln Lover
7.49pm
“Ferg reckoned if he’d been able to hold up in the trail last week he would have won. He was very bullish about how he’d gone. The draw’s no help but he can do a bit of work. He’s an honest little guy who saves his best for when the money’s up on racenight.”
Race 6: Johnny Lincoln
7.49pm
“He got a bit keen last week but he should be a lot better this time. He’s still learning and he’s a slow learner. When he does things correctly he’s a pretty nice horse. Hopefully he can get a suck into it from the second row draw.”
