Breather for Trojan Banner as Al maps out best path to the Queensland derbies

Trainer Al Barnes has mapped out a path to the derbies in Queensland and will spell winning machine Trojan Banner for the next two to three weeks.

Barnes started thinking about the best path to take with Lincoln Farms’ rejuvenated three-year-old after he notched his fifth straight win at Albion Park on Tuesday.

Unbeaten since arriving at Barnes’ Marburg stables in February, Trojan Banner has had a number of easy kills but his supersonic win two starts back started Barnes thinking he was a serious derby contender.

And his plan, hatched along with the colt’s former trainer Ray Green, is designed to have Trojan Banner at his peak for the A$100,000 Queensland Derby on July 20.

“If I bring him back in mid May he can be trialling by the end of the first week in June.

“Then we can give him two or three trials and one easy race before the South East Derby on July 13.’’

The A$31,400 South East Derby (2138m) is run one week before the A$100,660 Queensland Derby (2680m) and would have him right at this peak.

It would mean Trojan Banner would hit his main target at his sixth run.

“We know how many runs he needs to be spot on, which he is now, and it’s six - he’s had one trial and five races for us.’’

Trainer Al Barnes … Trojan Banner has helped resurrect his career.Barnes says he has a lot to thank Lincoln Farms for and Trojan Banner had helped resurrect his career.

Trojan Banner, who won three of his 18 starts in New Zealand for NZ$30,000 in earnings, now has a career record of eight wins from 23 starts for A$47,950.

Trojan Banner has 41 owners, the largest of all Lincoln Farms’ successful partnerships.

As well as Lincoln Farms’ owners John and Lynne Street, its business manager Ian Middleton, trainer Ray Green and office staffer Merle Gradwell, there’s Carl Officer’s eight larger than life Waikato lads in the Four Legs syndicate, Steve McCormick’s mob of 23 from Christchurch’s Green Machine Syndicate, all former Marist rugby mates, Addington racing manager Brian Rabbitt and his sister Margaret, Joe and Raewyn Chojnacki and Auckland veteran Bob Best.