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
Johnny Lincoln’s big ticker will stand to him in the States and Lover’s also sold to Aussie
No Jumals to beat this time at the Park so Ray’s looking for Lincoln Wave to roll in
Lincoln Linda best of the night at Cambridge - she has the engine to cross Soul Artist
Cheapie Johnny Lincoln a “proper” racehorse who can foot it with the Million bluebloods
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Rivergirl Bella
5.44pm
“She did well here last time as she had to do a bit to get to the lead and she dug in and fought on. She’s certainly a chance if she repeats that effort.”
Race 4: Lincoln Linda
7.09pm
“I thought she went super last time after doing a lot of work. She can do that because she has an engine and is tough. She’s a bit one-dimensional - you have to turn her loose early - but from the two draw she should be able to lead and that’s where she does her best work.”
Race 5: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.34pm
“I think he’s a bit stronger after his spell. It’s not a great field - most will die on that mark - and I don’t see a problem with the standing start as he’s nicely gaited. He could be marginally unfit after three months out but he’s done quite a bit of work and I can see him going a half-decent race.”
Race 6: Lincoln Maree
7.59pm
“She had every chance last time but I can’t see why she won’t go well again. She’s as honest as they come and tries like hell.”
Race 7: The Night Fox
8.29pm
“You’d think he’d lead easily from the inside. He’s had bad draws and still got the money, so I’m sure he’ll go another good race. I’m surprised they sold him so cheaply. He’s better than people think.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Lincoln Wave
5.09pm
“With the trip he got in the Harness Million I thought he’d have run on a lot better. But he was still a bit short on fitness and sometimes we can expect too much of these horses, he was racing the best, after all. It’s a big drop in grade here and he’s a pretty fair horse.”
Race 1: Leo Lincoln
5.09pm
“He’s an honest sort who’s in a good space but he won’t get a wonderful trip from the outside of the gate this time so I’m not holding my breath.”
Race 3: Sammy Lincoln
6.04pm
“He’s training down well but you never know what he’s going to do. You think you’ve got him sorted and he does something silly. But we know if the real Sammy turned up, he’d be very hard to beat as he’s got a lot of speed.”
Race 5: Prince Lincoln
7.05pm
“He’s another where you don’t know which one will turn up but we’ve gelded him since his last run, so we’ll see if that helps. He trained well the other day.”
