Double Or Nothing and Sir Tiger look to be undone by their barrier draws on Tuesday
Barrier draws will make it tough for both Double Or Nothing and Sir Tiger to win at Albion Park on Tuesday, trainer Al Barnes thinking they’ll both need top drives or a lot of luck, or both, to even earn place money.
Barnes entered Double Or Nothing for a rating 65 to 75 race, figuring that in a higher grade with a preferential barrier draw he would land the pole.
And from there, given the way he raced last time, the horse could have “given them a shake.”
But instead of using the national rating system, the handicappers ranked the field on money won in the last four starts, which sees Double Or Nothing in gate four.
And with a lot of speed inside him, Barnes says he can’t see Double Or Nothing being able to cross to the pegs.
Double Or Nothing finishes second last time to Rocknroll Classic, a rival again on Tuesday.“And he doesn’t try as hard from behind. Brendan said he was bolting (in the trail) last time and thought he was going to win for fun but he rushed up to the girth of the leader and that’s as far as he wanted to go.
“I specifically put him in this race to get a good draw, rather than starting him in an up-to-65 race and drawing the outside of the second row.
“But if he burns out from four it could be for nothing. The two horse (Machin Out) wouldn’t hand up and he probably wouldn’t cross the one (Recipe For Dreaming) either.
“I don’t know where he’ll end up in the running now. It’s a hard race to assess with so much speed. It looks like he might have to come with one run again and that makes him a place chance at best.”
Barnes holds out even less hope for Sir Tiger from the outside of the gate in the following race.
The race is for rating 50 to 55 horses, much weaker than the opposition he faced last time in the Rising Stars Championship Final, when he came from four deep for fifth, finding the 1:52.1 mile rate beyond him.
Brendan Barnes … felt Sir Tiger give up when he lost a helmet to follow.But Sir Tiger is not a horse who can be used up early and still find the line, so driver Hayden Barnes will be virtually forced to go back from the arm.
Since deciding to drive Sir Tiger more conservatively, he has run some respectable races but he is still not the most genuine.
“Brendan said he was travelling really well on the helmet of the horse in front of him last time but when that horse pulled out, and he lost the helmet, he gave up a bit.
“It’s going to be tough from out there. He might be able to slide forward - Hayden will just have to assess what they’re doing early - but it’s more likely he’ll go back and take short cuts.
“Either way it’s going to take a great drive and a lot of luck to win.”
Double Or Nothing races at 5.33pm NZ time at Albion Park on Tuesday.
Sir Tiger races at 6.12pm NZ time at Albion Park on Tuesday.
More news in Harness
All hail Debbie, the new speed queen of Alex Park, as she tackles a mile from the pole
Ray reaches for the half hopples to keep Whats Up The Hill trotting at Cambridge on Thursday
Debbie Lincoln’s sizzling win has namesake Debbie Green excited about the future
A Moose in his happy place is a fast Moose but programming hurdles lie ahead
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them

Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Whats Up The Hill
4.59pm
“Fergie wasn’t exuding praise for him after his last start when he galloped away. But we’ve taken everything off him this time, no half hopples, no fixed deafeners, and that’s the same as when he won at Auckland last prep.”
Race 5: Lincoln La Moose
6.45pm
“The winner had it handed to him last time, when he went only 2:45.9, and that meant he outsprinted our boy with a 56.3 last half. When we won the previous week he went 2:40. He likes to roll along, so it will be tempo dependent. It’s his first go from a stand and only second at 2700 metres so we’ll find out if he likes it.”

Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 3: Debbie Lincoln
6.49pm
“We’ve never really tried to leave the gate with her but, from the inside draw, she has the advantage and should lead or trail. You’d have to say on her last run she’s the best chance of our trio.”
Race 3: Sugar Ray Lincoln
6.49pm
“He’s thriving and looking very well. He was only just beaten last time and, from two, should get every chance.”
Race 3: Kevin Kline
6.49pm
“His closing sectionals were very fast last week and he never goes a bad race. The draw isn’t as desirable, but the small field helps.”
Race 4: Tyson
7.21pm
“He had to do a lot of work last week. You can never count him out because he’s so tough.”