Double Or Nothing and Sir Tiger look to be undone by their barrier draws on Tuesday
By Barry Lichter • 3 February 2020
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.
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Les Harding
Monday at Globe Derby
Race 6: Beaudiene Rocknroll
6.34pm NZ time
This race will tell us how he measures up against the local horses. We decided to go for this lower graded race, despite having lower prize money, instead of going to the trials one more time. He won the second of two trials on April 21, beating race rival Hezrockinroyalty by four metres. Run over 2230 metres he clocked 57.7 for his last half and 1:59.7 for his last mile. From the pole he’ll start short and be hard to beat.
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 7: Lincoln Lou
8.25pm
“He’s a beautiful little horse who doesn’t do anything wrong. He got held up at a crucial time last week and got home well (for sixth). He gets out pretty well so should get a good trip from two. He’ll go his usual honest race. He’s improving all the time, he’s a gutsy little guy, but whether he can measure up to the favourites remains to be seen.”
Race 7: Sugar Ray Lincoln
8.25pm
“He’s a work in progress and we’re still dabbling with his gear. He’s actually a naturally good-gaited horse, like all the American Ideals, but he’s going through a stage of not really knowing why he’s out there. You just don’t know when he’ll click but three is an ideal draw for him and he should be handy if he does things right.”
Race 9: Leo Lincoln
9.20pm
“He’s an under-rated horse, as good as those others who are higher rated. He’s proving to be a tidy horse and, while he’s not viewed as a serious player by some, I think he is. He was closing off really well last week behind Hugotastic.”
