Hustler might be nearly ready for the rocking chair but he’s still fast enough to lead and win

Back to his favourite pacemaking role, Northview Hustler will be the one to beat at Albion Park on Saturday night, says trainer Al Barnes.

The seven-year-old draws gate three in the fourth race, Barnes confident the two horses inside him, Chevron’s Reward and Lilac Flash, don’t have the speed to hold him out.

“The last time he led (four starts back), he won, and if he runs up to that form they won’t catch him,” says Barnes. “He’s got a good record in front.

“There’ll be a bit of pressure early from the six (Ideal World) and seven (Secretagent Tycoon) but they’ll relent. They know the front won’t be there.”

Barnes says he was happy enough with the Hustler’s effort last week when he raced one-out, one-back and made a little ground late for fifth, seven metres from the winner.

“He still ran a 54.8 half home and he had to carry an extra 20kg with an old fat driver like me on.”

While the Hustler didn’t show his usual brilliant acceleration round the turn, Barnes says they ran the last bend at high speed, the third quarter in 27.6.

“We were all off the bit chasing and I thought it was a good run under the circumstances.” The Hustler clocked closing sectionals of 54.8 and 27.23, faster than winner Ideal World’s 54.9 and 27.3.

Trainer Al Barnes with son Brendan who will take the reins on Northview Hustler on Saturday night. Brendan has had three drives on the horse for a win and a second.Barnes says his son Hayden, who drove runner-up Larry Lincoln in his last start for Lincoln Farms, also offered that the Hustler had to be more up on the bit and pulling to show his best.

“Maybe the horse had a lend of me a bit. Hayden would probably have had him travelling stronger than I did.”

On Saturday the drive goes to Barnes’ other son Brendan, with Hayden sticking to Larry Lincoln who will race for his new New Jersey owner Austin Siegelman.

Larry Lincoln, winner of eight races in Brisbane for Barnes and Lincoln Farms, is due to fly out to the States on April 19, Covid allowing.

“So he’ll have a couple of runs here first. He was really good last week in his first run against the good ones, sitting on the leader’s back and finishing on for second up the inside.

“He actually doesn’t like going up the inside, he’s better swooping down the outside and, if he can do that on Saturday, he can get some of it again, as he can run a fast last quarter.”

First Hayden had to negotiate the right path from the inside second row draw which will probably see him end up three deep on the markers.

“But they’ve all got to catch the Huss.”

Northview Hustler races at 10.10pm NZ time at Albion Park on Saturday night.