Bondi Shake set to go the way of Larry - all the way to the United States
By Barry Lichter • 11 August 2021
The imminent American race debut of former Lincoln Farms’ pacer Larry Lincoln is likely to help finance the sale of another horse - tonight’s hat-trick winning pacer Bondi Shake.
Marburg trainer Al Barnes, who won eight races with Larry Lincoln before his sale in March, says Bondi Shake is all but sold to the same New Jersey stable - that of trainer-driver Austin Siegelman.
“Austin is dead keen and just wants a little time to earn a few cheques. They love Larry and he’s all ready to race after qualifying last week in 1:53.”
The Siegelman-Leah Posner combination has already enjoyed plenty of success with former Lincoln Farms’ iron horse Vasari and can’t get enough of the horses in Lincoln green.
Barnes says Bondi Shake is the perfect horse for American racing.
“He’s honest, very similar to Billy Lincoln, clean gaited, and he can lead or come from behind.”
It was every post a winner tonight at Redcliffe as Brendan Barnes shot Bondi Shake straight to the front and repeated his win of last week down to one tenth of a second.
Brendan Barnes … “when they got to him he took off again.”And while a dashing late close from Flo Ryda cut the winning margin to a neck, the result was never really in doubt.
“Brendan said he switched off a little late but when they got to him he took off again.”
Barnes, who was confident of a winning run tonight, says Bondi Shake is right back to his best after shrugging off soreness issues and bolted away from the field in the back straight with a 28.4 third quarter.
“He wants to do it again and should continue with the good form.”
Barnes is now in a dilemma over whether to keep racing at Redcliffe, where he has won $2866 three weeks in a row, or to move to Albion Park to chase bigger stakes.
“It might be a smarter move to stay at Redcliffe. He’s won six races now and is a 58 rater but with our three-year-old concession of five points he can race in a 50 to 53 race next week, basically the same grade.”
Bondi Shake, who paid $2 on the New Zealand tote, got home in 28.8 for a mile rate of 1:58.3 over the 1780 metres.
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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.”
