Double up on Double Or Nothing on Friday night - he’ll enjoy a decent drop in grade
By Barry Lichter • 13 February 2020
Double Or Nothing might have drawn the outside of the gate at Albion Park on Friday but, dropping in grade, he is the one to beat.
You might have expected Double Or Nothing to have felt two hard runs in a week, when he was placed both times in 1:53.4 mile rate races, but trainer Al Barnes says the horse has been right on top of his game this week.
“The runs seem to have sharpened him up and he may just be too strong for them on Friday.
“It’s a nice little race for him. I”m not sure if he’ll lead - Hayden may have to park out - but we’re both confident he’d be OK breezing.”
Double Or Nothing is strong to the line, running third last Saturday night in a fast-run 1:53.4 mile rate.Barnes says if Double Or Nothing makes the front - and he may have earned enough respect now to get there - he can’t see anything being able to sit outside him on a 1:53 rate and beat him.
“He does have ability and tried really hard in both his races last week.”
Last Tuesday Double Or Nothing led and was swamped in the last couple of strides, going under by a neck. And last Saturday, after being four wide into the first bend, Hayden Barnes landed a one-one trip, challenged three wide turning in and finished on strongly to go down by just 3.3 metres.
Double Or Nothing’s recent times have been much faster than his rivals - last start winner Sir Jujon clocked only a mile rate of 1:55.1 and Whitehaven Lass’ recent win was only in 1:57.6.
At 65, he is rated five points better than the next in the field, Callmedemaro, who has won only three of his 42 career starts, and Soulwriter who has won only one of his last 29 starts - at Redcliffe.
Double Or Nothing races at 3.42pm NZ time at Albion Park on Friday.
More news in Harness
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Dr Green goes to work on mentally fragile Tyson hoping to pen better script for Friday
Ray tells why he rates Lincoln Lou clearly best of Lincoln Farms’ quartet in the fourth race
It’s all up to Angus - Brisbane’s young gun needs to drive a pearler on Nemo at Redcliffe
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Mark Dux’s comments
Wednesday night at Redcliffe
Race 1: Captain Nemo
7.17pm NZ time
“It’s a reasonable field, they’re not push-overs, but they’re all beatable. It will all come down to who gets the right trip. If we have something go our way we could get some of it as there’s not a lot between them and I don’t think he’s far off now. We’ve got a bad draw again and there’s a bit of speed inside us so I’ll tell Angus to just play it by ear.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 4: Lincoln La Moose
7.32pm
“He’s a pretty good horse. He was still below his best last time at Cambridge - he needed the race - but went very well for second behind King’s Watch. With his ace draw, he should be right up there for Zac (Butcher). He always looked a bit delicate but he’s got tougher.”
Race 4: Obadiah Dragon
7.32pm
“He’ll go a good race but our others look better here. His last run was below par for him so we took a blood off him and he had a bit of a virus going on. He was at the tail end of it but it was enough to stop him.”
Race 4: Lincoln Lou
7.32pm
“Even if he’s half a run short, I don’t think it will matter, he’ll still be too good for this lot. He only had a mild virus which came right with treatment and he’s trained on well since. He feels pretty good and if I was betting man, I’d bet him for sure based on his last run, which was massive.”
Race 4: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.32pm
“He’s in a ‘coming of age’ phase. He rushed up beside them last start and wanted to lay all over them and give them a hug. But that’s normal coltish behaviour. He does that in training as well, rushes up and switches off. He has a lot of ability but also a few little behaviour traits that we need to get on top of.”
Race 6: My Copy
8.24pm
“It won’t be easy from four on the second row but he’s very honest and, if opportunity knocks, he’ll be right there. If he gets a trip, he’s always ready to pounce.”
Race 9: Tyson
9.39pm
“He should be one of the favourites. The raw ability is there and he’ll definitely win races as he has a bit of speed. How far he will take us we have yet to find out but I thought he did really well last time given the run he had.”
