Hayden shows dad how, notching hat-trick on Larry Lincoln, after earlier tiff over Hustler

Trainer Al Barnes knew he was well and truly in the dog box just moments after Larry Lincoln notched a hat trick of wins at Albion Park in Brisbane tonight.

Barnes, who was watering the track down the back straight as part of his race night track staff duties, gave his son Hayden the thumbs up when he pulled up after a copybook drive on the little speedster.

“But he didn’t even look at me, he was too cranky,” said Barnes after Larry Lincoln’s eighth win since arriving in Queensland.

Barnes explained he and Hayden had a little blue an hour earlier after Northview Hustler ran only seventh in the opening race.

“I wanted him to go the front on Hustler but he had a different idea and he ended up getting in behind a slow one.”

Three back on the outer, Hayden had to manouevre Hustler around Imasportsstar when that runner started struggling in the one-one and dropped out.

Hustler sprinted up three wide to be right in contention but run out of gas close to home to be 5.6 metres from winner Rock With Sam, driven by his brother Brendan.

To Hayden’s credit, he didn’t let his old man’s sideline serve put him off when Larry Lincoln scored up behind the gate for his first test in strong company.

Drawn the pole, with plenty of speed outside him, he judged the start perfectly and was able to hold the back of Maywyns Courage, who repelled an early challenge by Midnight Man, landing the trail for the improving Lincoln Farms’ pacer.

Just as Barnes senior had predicted, Larry had no trouble keeping up as Maywyns Courage cut through fast opening sectionals of 27.8, 29.6 and 27.3.

“Larry’s the perfect little horse and will follow any speed.”

Hayden Barnes gives Larry Lincoln full bore as Feelingforarainbow lunges late.On the home turn, with the rest of their rivals struggling to make ground, Larry looked to have the leader well covered and when Hayden pulled out to challenge he quickly swept past Maywyns Courage.

Larry didn’t streak clear, however - Barnes saying his habit was to wait for his rivals a bit - but he showed all his trademark grit to stave off a late run by Feelingforarainbow to win by a head.

“He tries so hard and that’s the fastest he’s gone.”

Larry Lincoln’s winning mile rate for the 1660 metres was 1:53.4, exactly the same as Rock With Sam clocked in the higher graded race Hustler contested.

“Now he’s in free-for-all grade he’ll be a great bread and butter horse. He’ll draw one every week because his rating is so low, and earn money, while poor Hustler always draws wide.

“We love him and wish he could stay. I’d buy him in a heart beat if I had the money.”

Ideally Barnes says he’d like to convince Lincoln Farms to let him keep the horse.

“But his record is looking very good now and I’ll know more on Monday whether we have him sold.”

Larry Lincoln, who is by Woodlands Stud’s stallion Sweet Lou out of the Grinfromeartoear mare Yolo, cost just $7000 as a weanling and has now earned A$49,600 from his 19 starts for Barnes.

Added to the $6900 he earned from seven starts in New Zealand, where he won his debut at Cambridge before going sore, his career tally now stands at $56,500.

Larry Lincoln, the early favourite, drifted late in the betting and paid $3.90 on the New Zealand tote.

The photo finish shows Larry Lincoln home by a head over Feelingforarainbow.