Hampton Banner downs Dr Susan and On A Roll, who have both gone on to better things. PHOTO: Peter Rubery/Race Images.
Hampton Banner and Man Of Action looking for good trips at Auckland on Friday night
By Barry Lichter • 5 February 2020
Hampton Banner and Man Of Action are both winning chances in the third race at Auckland on Friday night - with the run of the race set to determine who performs best.
Both horses have drawn badly, Man Of Action two on the second row and Hampton Banner two outside him.
And trainer Ray Green says it’s hard to separate the pair who are both handy three-year-olds.
“I wouldn’t say one is better than the other - it will come down to the trip they get.”
Hampton Banner is almost certain to start shorter in the market after his impressive all-the-way workout win at Pukekohe last Saturday.
“He has been training and trialling well but it’s also his first run for a while,” says Green.
Hampton Banner’s form line is also more impressive than his stablemate’s, especially after the horse he beat when winning at Auckland in November, Dr Susan, won the Victoria Oaks last week.
“His subsequent starts were also against the top age group horses, so it’s a big step-down in class for him.”
Since winning, Hampton Banner ran sixth behind stablemate Copy That in the Northern Stakes, seventh to Copy That in the Alabar Classic and ninth behind One Change in the Sales Series’ Final.
Man Of Action … out of luck in recent starts.Punctured tyre came off rim
Man Of Action, on the other hand, has been racing in weaker company, beating little of note at Cambridge then unable to get into the race after being taken back from a wide draw at Auckland.
You can completely forget his last start on January 24 when he was pulled up 800 metres from home. Driver Andrew Drake was unlucky to have a tyre punctured early in the race and was forced to pull out of the race when the tyre and tube came off the rim of the wheel.
His luck was little better at last Saturday’s Pukekohe workouts when Man Of Action went round with one leg out of the hopple loop, doing well to finish despite breaking twice in the running.
Drake keeps the drive on Man Of Action on Friday night and Zachary Butcher gets on Hampton Banner.
Zac’s choice a pointer
Butcher’s choice of drives in the last race, for maiden two-year-olds, is a good indicator, as he shuns the Lincoln Farms’ debutants for Steven Reid’s talented filly Shes No Lady, whom he piloted into second on debut.
Bondi Shake (Andre Poutama) is badly placed on the outside of the gate for his debut.Butcher’s father David gets behind Franco Nandor while Andre Poutama is on Bondi Shake.
“Both will find it hard from their draws, especially Bondi Shake who is on the outside,” says Green.
“Some of those fillies have been trialling well and they get the preferential draws. But we’ll send them round. They’ve got to start somewhere.
“They’re both nice two-year-olds who will end up tidy horses but it’s not fair to expect them to win on Friday. If they get home well and finish in the first half of the field I’ll be happy.”
More news in Harness
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Cheapie Johnny Lincoln a “proper” racehorse who can foot it with the Million bluebloods
Bang! Lincoln Wave’s tyre blows out, startling rival drivers but Alabar win would shock more
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Rivergirl Bella
5.44pm
“She did well here last time as she had to do a bit to get to the lead and she dug in and fought on. She’s certainly a chance if she repeats that effort.”
Race 4: Lincoln Linda
7.09pm
“I thought she went super last time after doing a lot of work. She can do that because she has an engine and is tough. She’s a bit one-dimensional - you have to turn her loose early - but from the two draw she should be able to lead and that’s where she does her best work.”
Race 5: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.34pm
“I think he’s a bit stronger after his spell. It’s not a great field - most will die on that mark - and I don’t see a problem with the standing start as he’s nicely gaited. He could be marginally unfit after three months out but he’s done quite a bit of work and I can see him going a half-decent race.”
Race 6: Lincoln Maree
7.59pm
“She had every chance last time but I can’t see why she won’t go well again. She’s as honest as they come and tries like hell.”
Race 7: The Night Fox
8.29pm
“You’d think he’d lead easily from the inside. He’s had bad draws and still got the money, so I’m sure he’ll go another good race. I’m surprised they sold him so cheaply. He’s better than people think.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Lincoln Wave
5.09pm
“With the trip he got in the Harness Million I thought he’d have run on a lot better. But he was still a bit short on fitness and sometimes we can expect too much of these horses, he was racing the best, after all. It’s a big drop in grade here and he’s a pretty fair horse.”
Race 1: Leo Lincoln
5.09pm
“He’s an honest sort who’s in a good space but he won’t get a wonderful trip from the outside of the gate this time so I’m not holding my breath.”
Race 3: Sammy Lincoln
6.04pm
“He’s training down well but you never know what he’s going to do. You think you’ve got him sorted and he does something silly. But we know if the real Sammy turned up, he’d be very hard to beat as he’s got a lot of speed.”
Race 5: Prince Lincoln
7.05pm
“He’s another where you don’t know which one will turn up but we’ve gelded him since his last run, so we’ll see if that helps. He trained well the other day.”
