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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Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: The Empress
“She’s very capable of winning but you couldn’t label her. But she’d have to be very unlucky not to get some of it.”
Race 3: Lindi Lincoln
“She went quite nicely at the workouts last Saturday but she’ll probably need a race to tighten her up. It’s not a great field but the draw (outside front row) isn’t ideal.”
Race 5: Line Up
“I’m confident Line Up can beat Henry Hu who puts in some terrible steps around the corners. He’d have to do plenty wrong to get beaten.”
Race 5: Bettor My Dreamz
“He’s back in the right grade and will be right there with a trip, but he’ll need a perfect trip to have any chance of beating Line Up.”
Race 7: Copy That
“He’s the best horse in the field without a doubt - it just depends on what passage he gets from that draw, but if he gets a good trip I can’t see anything beating him.”
Race 9: Double Or Nothing
“I think he’ll run just as well as usual. The draw’s not great but he doesn’t have to lead to go well - he can go back if David wants to.”
Al’s comments
Saturday night at Albion Park
Race 5: Northview Hustler
10.08pm NZ time
“I’ll go back and save him for one sprint from the 300. It’s hard to predict where he’ll finish driving like that but the field is a bit weaker than last time with Watch Pulp Fiction not in and the step-up to 2138 metres will definitely favour us.”
