Hustler brave sitting parked in New Zealand record Flying Stakes
By Barry Lichter • 22 October 2018
The run of the race conspired to beat Northview Hustler in today’s Ashburton Flying Stakes and given how fast the race was run trainer Ray Green couldn’t find a bad word to say about Lincoln Farms’ NZ Cup candidate.
The record book will show Northview Hustler beat only two home but with the All Stars’ mare Dream About Me setting a New Zealand record pace and Hustler forced to breeze all the way, it said plenty for his courage that he finished only 5.9 lengths from winner Eamon Maguire who enjoyed a perfect trail.
The 2400 metre stand was cut out in 2:54.2, one tenth of a second faster than the previous national mark held by champion pacer Lazarus.
Incredibly it was two seconds faster than Lazarus took in winning the Flying Stakes last year, and the closing sectionals were an amazing 54.2 and 26.4.
It was only in the last 100 metres that Star Galleria (fourth) and Ultimate Machete (fifth) ran past Northview Hustler who kept trying right to the line for driver Andre Poutama.
“He wasn’t going to run past anybody going that time, was he,’’ says Green.
“I thought he went not too bad considering. He wasn’t that far away at the finish and he beat a couple who had good trips (A G’s White Socks and Letspendanitetogetha).
“For a few seconds there I thought he might even hang on for a cheque.
“The good thing was he looked good and he seemed to pull up good.
“We’ll give it a couple of days and see how he comes out of it before we decide on our next move.
“We’ll take a blood off him to eliminate the guess work and check there’s nothing wrong but I wouldn’t be expecting anything to show up.’’
From a New Zealand Cup point of view, nothing should change in the rankings for Hustler - all the horses who beat him home are already higher in the qualifying order.
He sits on 16th, one place shy of gaining a start.
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Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 3: Jessie Lincoln
5.44pm
“She normally runs on better but, after looking like she was going to round them up on the turn last week, she just flattened out. But she’ll be hovering around there somewhere.”
Race 5: Lincoln Maree
6.55pm
“She’s such a tough little filly who tries so hard. I wish I had one with speed with those qualities. It would be nice if they go hard, and she gets a suck along, then she might get a small piece of it. She never goes a bad race.”
Race 5: Angelic Copy
6.55pm
“She’s been going all right but she keeps getting awkward draws and getting pushed back to the rear. Because of her initial success (as a two-year-old) she’s been badly off in the ratings but she’s slowly losing points.”
Race 5: Prince Lincoln
6.55pm
“He’s a serious winning chance. He’ll go forward from his outside gate and try to dominate again in front. He’s not just winning, he’s demolishing them.”
Race 9: Sugar Ray Lincoln
8.45pm
“He got fired up at Cambridge with the long delay and, after he went forward to get a position, Fergie was just a passenger. When they pull that hard they don’t run on. He’s been racing well and can’t be ruled out if he gets a good trip.”
Race 9: Lincoln Wave
8.45pm
”If he gets a half decent trip, he’s the one to beat. Ignore the Cambridge run last week from a stand. We know what he can do from the mobile.”
