Sir Tiger meets a weak field at Albion Park on Friday night.
Here we go again - Sir Tiger all set to begin a winning streak in Queensland on Friday night
By Barry Lichter • 11 September 2019
The 1113 form line credited to Sir Tiger at Albion Park on Friday night is woefully incorrect but new trainer Al Barnes is sure he will soon be sporting a string of wins like that.
How Sir Tiger’s recent record came to be embellished so much on the Australian harness site is anyone’s guess - it should read 14100 - but regardless, Barnes says he is confident his newest Lincoln Farms recruit will open his Queensland career with a bang.
“The horse looks fantastic, he’s full of dapples, and I’m sure he’ll string a few wins together like Trojan Banner did, but maybe not seven of them!
“We haven’t done a great deal with him since he arrived - a couple of fast works but he doesn’t need much as he’s already fit.”
Sir Tiger meets a very ordinary bunch of rating 48 to 52 pacers on Friday, drawn five in a 2138 metre event for $6540.
“He should lead or sit outside them and just be too good. He should win on his ear.”
Barnes knows the credentials of likely second favourite Bundjalung Beauty well as his son Hayden drove the mare to an all-the-way win last Thursday.
“But she rated only 1:56.3, which is the fastest she’s gone, and Sir Tiger should easily beat that.”
The other last start winner in the field, Guy Looks Good, went even slower, rating 1:58.3 over 1660 metres.
Barnes has taken over the training of Sir Tiger and Billy Lincoln after the recent sale of his three previous good performers for Lincoln Farms to America, Trojan Banner, Lincoln’s Girl and Vasari who won 15 races between them.
Northview Hustler, in his box at Marburg, has missed work with a foot infection.Hustler will need the run
His remaining runner, Northview Hustler, resumes on Saturday night after a foot infection forced his scratching 11 days ago.
The Hustler has drawn six in an eight-horse field over 1660 metres and Barnes says he’ll need the run after missing five or six day’s work.
“He’ll still be competitive and can run top three but we’ll just be patient and let him run on. Last time we did that he ran a close second.”
Barnes is expecting some fireworks from KerryAnn Morris’ pair Pembrooks Passion and Aztec Bromac, drawn the two inside spots.
“Pembrook’s Passion rated 1:52.9 in winning last Saturday. And Watch Pulp Fiction, in three, is going nicely.”
The best performed horse in the field, Mach Alert, who rated 1:53.3 in winning over 2138 metres last start, has drawn the outside of the front line.
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Two (not so) secret weapons help Lincoln Farms to $29,287 payday at Cambridge
Deb dresses her latest ‘Copy’ weanling in white and he delivers a Major coup
Our runners this week: How our trainer rates them
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Spirited Belle
4.46pm
Delany: “I saw she’d been punted but somebody must know something we don’t as I’ve been working her myself and, while she feels all right and hasn’t put the boot in like at Auckland, I think she’ll need the run. She hasn’t got any high speed but feels like she will stay. She has improved a bit but I’d be surprised if she won.”
Race 1: Lincoln Maree
4.46pm
“It’s always hard from these draws but she’s a tough mare who will make her own luck at some stage. She’s going well enough - her drivers have all been happy - and she’s a little warrior who tries like hell.”
Race 2: Major Copy
5.12pm
“He’s only two and very inexperienced but he feels like a good colt and there’s a lot of improvement in him. He certainly caught a lot of people’s attention last time. I don’t know how good he is yet but he’ll be right there.”
Race 2: Prince Lincoln
5.12pm
“If he can lead without having to do too much work I can’t see anything beating him. I thought he went great last start. He pressed the winner hard ’til the corner then just flattened out in the run home, but he had every reason to do that after all the work he’d done.”
Race 4: Spirit Of God
6.12pm
“She’s been undone by bad draws. If she led easily from three she’d be hard to beat as she’s a good front-runner.”
Race 4: Spirited Peggy
6.12pm
“We’ve had her for only two weeks but she’s seven now and has had her chance to win one. She has a bit of speed but I think she gets pulling so we’ve got the Hidez (compression) hood on her and plugged her ears up.”
Race 6: Copy N Paste
7.10pm
“We won’t see the best of him for another six months. He’s been a slow developing horse but is improving all the time and getting stronger.”
Race 6: Jessie Lincoln
7.10pm
“If I was having a bet on one of them in the race it would be her. She deserves to win one. Her last two have been really good - she just ran into one who was a bit slicker last time in Major Copy.”
Race 6: Lincoln Dealer
7.10pm
“He’s a bit one-dimensional - you’ve got to feed him track and let him run - so the second row draw is a big handicap. To his credit I was surprised he finished so close last time after all the work he did. When he gets a decent draw and crosses them they’ll know they’re at the races. He’s got a big motor and tries hard.”
Race 8: Rivergirl Bella
8.08pm
“She clawed her way to the front last time but had nothing left at the finish. That won’t happen this time and she should lead easily from one.”
Race 8: Angelic Copy
8.08pm
“She’s had terrible draws but has been going good races. The others last time were just better than her but this is a big drop in class. With the right trip she could get some of it at huge odds.”
Race 9: Sugar Ray Lincoln
8.35pm
“He’s not quick away from a stand but he won’t muff it completely. He steps from the front line and Peter Ferguson was quite happy with his last run.”
Race 9: Lincoln Wave
8.35pm
“He bombed the stand the first time but to be fair all those horses were rushing up at him from the back and that panicked him a bit. He’s on 10 metres this time so that won’t happen.”
