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
Rivergirl Bella finally delivers - and Phil kicks himself for not being there or having a punt
This is it, Sammy, the draw’s a bit of a pain but you can eat these non-winners for breakfast
Prince Lincoln finally shows what he’s made of - and, wow, was that a blazing demolition!
Hey Wendy and Amy, go easy of Fergs as he’s doing a sterling job taming Lincoln Linda
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Rivergirl Bella
5.14pm
“She tries hard and is getting stronger. She just needs a trip to be right there.”
Race 3: Copy N Paste
6.16pm
“Maurice said he got a bit tired on debut but I didn’t expect a lot. Four months ago you’d have wondered if he’d ever qualify. He’ll improve on that - he’s improving all the time - but from seven he’ll have to go back and come into it late.”
Race 5: Lincoln Linda
7.14pm
Update: Scratched
“She’s up in grade but is a chance again if she can get a good run up the front of the field. It was a good effort last time to break 2:43.”
Race 8: Lincoln Maree
8.49pm
“She’s trained on OK and, while no champion, has to be a chance down in grade against the amateur horses.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 4: Jessie Lincoln
6.57pm
“I can’t see her beating Sammy Lincoln but with a good draw at last you’ll see a better performance. She’s capable of finishing in the first three.”
Race 4: Spirit Of God
6.57pm
“She bolted in at the workouts, leading out from a wide gate and getting home in 27.9. She’s a great driving little mare and has good manners. I could see her winning one very soon.”
Race 4: Sammy Lincoln
6.57pm
“I know we’ve said it before but he has been unlucky a few times and, all things being fair and square, it’s hard to see him beaten. The draw is awkward but everything points to him winning. There are no derby horses in there and he went a great race in the Northern Derby last start.”
Race 4: Marylynes Boy
6.57pm
“He’s a tidy little horse. I can’t see him winning from the (second row) draw but he’s like Spirit Of God, he’s not far away from winning one.”
Race 5: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.25pm
“He’s been a late developer. You can see it in his growth, his withers have finally popped up, and he’ll get better as time goes on. He’s no champion but he should be a handy horse through winter. He’s capable of stepping away fairly well.”
Race 5: Leo Lincoln
7.25pm
“It’s a toss-up between the two of them. Sugar Ray is a bit stronger perhaps but Leo is very good from a stand. You can forget that last run in the Messenger - he was only in there to help get the race off the ground.”
Race 7: Prince Lincoln
8.25pm
“He finally showed us what he’s got last week. Inside second row draws can be awkward - you’re at the mercy of the others - but he could end up with a good trail behind the leader.”
