The mobile gate at Albion Park pulls away. If Trojan Banner stays on the markers on Friday he’ll be buried for sure.
‘Horrible’ draw for Trojan Banner leaves Al in a quandary over tactics for Friday
By Barry Lichter • 20 March 2019
Trainer Al Barnes has only one word for Trojan Banner’s draw at Albion Park on Friday - horrible.
Just a week after Lincoln Farms’ colt strolled round the track to a decisive first-up win in Queensland, he has been set a very difficult task from the inside of the second row.
And that, says Barnes, will make it very hard for him to win the third race at 4.57pm NZ time.
“He meets a similar class to last week and should really be a $1.50 shot but from there he could start at $4.
“The horse in front of him is a slug off the gate and if we follow him we could end up three or four deep on the fence.
“I’ll have to make a decision in the next few days what to do. If we come off early then you’ve got to circle the whole field and he’d have a very hard run.
“He’s certainly capable of doing it but I don’t know if I want to put pressure on him like that second up.’’
Trojan Banner looking sharp at his Marburg stable in Queensland this week.Barnes says he’s reluctant to “cook” Trojan Banner like his stablemate, former Lincoln Farms’ pacer Lincoln Road, who has endured two terrifically hard runs from bad draws in recent weeks and is now having a breather in the paddock.
Driving the horse quietly, especially when he is sure to be well backed, would come under the scrutiny of the stewards - “but they understand how it’s very hard to win coming from last.
“The only saving grace is that the race is over 2138 metres. If it had been a mile we would have been in a world of trouble.
“At least over the longer distance you have a little time up your sleeve. You can grab hold, pop off, give them a little breather in the second quarter, then take it as it comes.
“If the pace slackens you can slip around them. If not, you can be patient and put him in the race in the last 600 metres.
“He’s got a good enough turn of foot that he can come from anywhere.’’
Barnes says he has considered scratching Trojan Banner but with a two-week stand down it would only hinder his preparation and wouldn’t help pay the bills.
“He’s had a good week and has improved greatly since his last run but he’s still not at his peak.
“He took time to recover after his fast work yesterday and it was at 7am so it wasn’t in ridiculous heat.’’
Barnes confirmed his elder son Hayden would drive Trojan Banner again, despite Brendan being listed on the Australian harness website.
“Brendan is in Sydney for the Bathhurst Gold Crown.’’
Trojan Banner races at 4.57pm NZ time on Friday.
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Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Rivergirl Bella
5.40pm
“She’s going as good as she can. She’s got a bit of speed but isn’t that strong. But she should get a nice trip here and be right in the frame. She’ll win one soon.”
Race 1: Jessie Lincoln
5.40pm
“She’s a big filly who has taken time to mature but she has plenty of ability. She’s a good pacer and I expect her to improve on her resuming run and go well.”
Race 1: Lincoln Dealer
5.40pm
“He’s a bit of a handful, too keen for his own good sometimes, so I’ll be happy to see him just get round and do most things right. He’s no superstar but he’s coming to it slowly but surely. We’re throwing him in the deep end here and he has a terrible draw but we have to start somewhere.”
Race 4: Lincoln Maree
7.04pm
“She’s as tough as old boots and tries like hell and you can’t ask for much more than that. She just lacks a bit of speed but has a good attitude. She usually finds one or two better than her but will make them work for it anyway.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Prince Lincoln
4.56pm
“He’ll be improved for the last run, has trialled and is working well, and has a better draw (the ace) this time. You just have to be a bit wary because he’s let us down a couple of times.”
Race 3: Angelic Copy
5.56pm
“She had a tie-up issue but seems much better now. It’s her first run for a while so she’ll definitely need the run. I’m just hoping she gets around all right and pulls up OK.”
Race 3: Colonel Lincoln
5.56pm
“He’s a very capable horse, if injury prone, and he’s been back in work for three or four months. You never say never but, realistically, he’s just starting off so you can’t expect him to be at his peak.”
Race 5: Sammy Lincoln
6.55pm
“I know I said it two starts back but if there’s such a thing as a certainty, he’s it. Even from seven on the gate, everything says he’s the one to beat. If he hadn’t gone a bit goofy up the home straight last time in the Sires’ Stakes Semi at Cambridge, he’d have easily run third. This is a huge drop in class.”
Race 7: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.58pm
“I expect he’ll be a bit sharper this time. He’s looking well and feeling good but I still think another run under his belt will be beneficial for him. He’s not one to leap out of the ground but he is capable of taking the race.”
