Consistent Double Or Nothing looks good for another minor cheque tonight
By Barry Lichter • 21 February 2020
Consistent pacer Double Or Nothing may have to sit parked at Albion Park tonight but he should still earn a cheque, says trainer Al Barnes.
Double Or Nothing, nabbed in the last few strides last week after leading from seven, moves in to gate five in the opening race but Barnes says he’s unlikely to get the front this time with Im Norma Jean drawn one inside him.
“There’ll be no lead for him with Nathan Dawson driving but we’ll go forward anyway and park out. It’s not worth taking a sit with him, he’s not the greatest from behind.
“But he should earn another cheque. He’s a great bread and butter horse that you’d love to own.”
In six Queensland starts Double Or Nothing has racked up a win, three seconds, a third and an unlucky fourth when bottled up.
“He’ll do a good job again but it will be a tough race for him to win.”
Double Or Nothing, who is rated 66 in the rating 65 to 75 race, has most of his main opposition drawn inside him with Grant Dixon’s Cherrys The Best in three and Jack Butler’s Handsome Hero in one.
The rangy Sweet Lou gelding boasts a record of three wins and 15 placings from his 26 starts for A$49,067 in stakes.
Meanwhile, Barnes says all reports from Sydney are good on Northview Hustler.
The infections which burst out of his heels last week are healing nicely and he fast-worked yesterday in preparation for his next start at Menangle on Saturday week.
Double Or Nothing races at 9.19pm NZ time at Albion Park on Friday night.
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Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Rivergirl Bella
5.40pm
“She’s going as good as she can. She’s got a bit of speed but isn’t that strong. But she should get a nice trip here and be right in the frame. She’ll win one soon.”
Race 1: Jessie Lincoln
5.40pm
“She’s a big filly who has taken time to mature but she has plenty of ability. She’s a good pacer and I expect her to improve on her resuming run and go well.”
Race 1: Lincoln Dealer
5.40pm
“He’s a bit of a handful, too keen for his own good sometimes, so I’ll be happy to see him just get round and do most things right. He’s no superstar but he’s coming to it slowly but surely. We’re throwing him in the deep end here and he has a terrible draw but we have to start somewhere.”
Race 4: Lincoln Maree
7.04pm
“She’s as tough as old boots and tries like hell and you can’t ask for much more than that. She just lacks a bit of speed but has a good attitude. She usually finds one or two better than her but will make them work for it anyway.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Prince Lincoln
4.56pm
“He’ll be improved for the last run, has trialled and is working well, and has a better draw (the ace) this time. You just have to be a bit wary because he’s let us down a couple of times.”
Race 3: Angelic Copy
5.56pm
“She had a tie-up issue but seems much better now. It’s her first run for a while so she’ll definitely need the run. I’m just hoping she gets around all right and pulls up OK.”
Race 3: Colonel Lincoln
5.56pm
“He’s a very capable horse, if injury prone, and he’s been back in work for three or four months. You never say never but, realistically, he’s just starting off so you can’t expect him to be at his peak.”
Race 5: Sammy Lincoln
6.55pm
“I know I said it two starts back but if there’s such a thing as a certainty, he’s it. Even from seven on the gate, everything says he’s the one to beat. If he hadn’t gone a bit goofy up the home straight last time in the Sires’ Stakes Semi at Cambridge, he’d have easily run third. This is a huge drop in class.”
Race 7: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.58pm
“I expect he’ll be a bit sharper this time. He’s looking well and feeling good but I still think another run under his belt will be beneficial for him. He’s not one to leap out of the ground but he is capable of taking the race.”
