Gear changes on Friday night to spark up two of resuming Green team

Gear changes could help spark up two of Lincoln Farms’ four runners at Auckland on Friday night but trainer Ray Green will be keeping his money in his pocket.

The meeting marks the first for Northview Hustler since his aborted New Zealand Cup campaign and the first for Make Way, Recco Lover and Trojan Banner since they were given a break at the start of the month.

And with none of the quartet having trialled, Green says it’s a case of watch and hope.

Both last-start winner Make Way and Recco Lover will sport new gear in the fourth race.

It’s close for Make Way in his last start win over Aha Reaction when he felt like he would win by lengths on the home turn. PHOTO: Race Images.Green has made good on his declaration that he would try sliding blinds on Make Way after the horse again looked to knock off before beating Aha Reaction at Alexandra Park on November 2.

It was the second time on end that Make Way had made it look hard when seemingly in for an easy win turning for home.

Driver Andre Poutama will have sliding blinds to activate if he feels that’s about to happen again on Friday night but Green says the colt won’t be driven on any “search and destroy mission” in his first run back.

“He doesn’t need a hell trip first-up. We’ll give him a nice, easy run and drive him for luck.’’

Heartbreak horse Recco Lover will have the full monty with blinds and removable deafeners as Green “tries to wake him up’’ after a string of placings.

“He gives me the impression he hasn’t been putting his best foot forward. He’s very blasé. We’ve had them on before when he was a two-year-old and incredibly lazy.’’

From an awkward draw of six on Friday night, Green expects stable junior driver Andrew Drake will go back off the gate in a race which features the unbeaten Tony Herlihy-trained Revolver and the in-form Arna Donnelly mare Baquero.

Trojan training better

Trojan Banner, who is even worse off in the fifth race, on the outside of the arm, is one who Green expects to have benefitted from the break.

“He hasn’t really shaped up like I thought he would this season, he’s been disappointing, but he’s trained better this time in than for a long time.

“He’s still growing - it looks like he’s grown even in the last few weeks - but the way he’s trained yesterday and last Saturday I’ll be curious to see how he goes.

“His draw’s not great, David (Butcher) will go back from there I’m sure.’’

Northview Hustler, pictured beating Star Galleria in the Spring Cup, meets far weaker opposition on Friday night. PHOTO: Race Images.What Poutama does on Northview Hustler in the sixth race will be his call, says Green.

“If only one or two come off the gate he might as well leave too but if half a dozen come out he’ll have to go back. The driver has to assess that after the gate has gone 50 metres.’’

Green hasn’t done a lot with Northview Hustler since he arrived home from Canterbury but he says the horse hasn’t been knocked at all by the trip and will enjoy the far easier opposition on Friday night.

Hustler had “trips from hell” in his last two starts which were both run in New Zealand record time.

• He was parked out in the Ashburton Flying Stakes when Eamon Maguire ran a record 2:54.2 from a stand for the 2400 metres.
• And while well spotted at Addington last time he had his tongue hanging out at the finish when subsequent New Zealand Cup winner Thefixer clocked a record 3:10 for the standing 2600 metres.

“He had a week off down there after that and half a week off when he got home but he hasn’t got too far behind.

“I expect he’ll race well fresh and it’s only a mile (1700 metres).’’

While on a rating of 93 he is the highest equal ranked runner, against a field of mostly rating 60 and 70 horses, Green says he will still need a good run with an up-and-comer like On The Cards in the field.

“You need a good trip at the Park. Not many win doing it tough like Chicago Bull.

“I can’t label anything for Friday. They’re all runners’ chances given decent trips.’’