Northview Hustler and Hayden Barnes are pushed extremely wide turning for home in tonight’s Redcliffe Cup.
I’m so proud of you Hustler, says Al - you’ve got a big ticker and you’re still improving
By Barry Lichter • 22 June 2019
Northview Hustler might not have won tonight’s Redcliffe Cup but trainer Al Barnes could not have been more proud of his effort for fourth.
Driven back in the field from his 10 metre handicap, Northview Hustler moved out to follow Saloon Passage a little over a lap from home but when that runner went nowhere, driver Hayden Barnes was forced to pull out four wide 400 metres from home.
The little black colt powered round the field, looming close to the leading pack rounding the home turn, but was pushed out extremely wide, losing crucial lengths.
He could have been forgiven for tapping out then but kept finding in the run to the judge to finish just 10 metres from upset winner Clintal Do and runner-up Ohoka Punter.
“He’s got a big heart and did a super job,’’ said Barnes. “I’m very proud of him as not many come from the back at Redcliffe.
“And best of all his heart rate afterwards was 101, which dropped to 87, and that shows there’s still a lot of improvement in him.’’
Northview Hustler fights bravely for fourth in tonight’s Redcliffe Cup.Barnes says the only chance the horse had was to have slipped round the field much earlier in the race in the hope Anthony Butt would have handed up the chair on Franco Totem.
“It turns out he would have and that would have suited us.’’
At the post Franco Totem, trained by Butt’s partner Sonya Smith, held on to third, about four metres in front of Hustler.
“But Hustler keeps on improving and that’s what we wanted to see. I’m rapt with the run. It was just a shame they all shifted out on the turn and pushed us off the track.’’
That left Hustler with a mathematical impossibility as the leaders, hugging the markers, clocked 27.9 and 28.4 for their last two quarters, Hustler trying to make ground on them racing four wide and worse round the tight last two corners.
The Richard March-trained winner was timed over the 2613 metres in 3:13.4, a mile rate of 1:59.1.
The first three home reflected the traditional pattern of racing at the tight triangular track, being in the trail, in front and parked out. Hustler was the first horse home who started off the back mark of 10 metres, just in front of second favourite Lilac Flash.
Lincoln Farms’ flag bearer still has three weeks to reach peak fitness, with the first of his two main targets the A$100,000 Sunshine Sprint to be run at Albion Park on July 13.
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Ultra-consistent Kevin Kline sold to the United States: Why Ray’s sorry to lose him
Nate having a last spin round on his wee mate Eric - and he’s in with a very good chance
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Nathan’s comments
Thursday night at Manawatu
Race 4: Spiritual Bliss
6.25pm
“She won well on the first day but pulled very hard - Harry said his arms were that tired afterwards he couldn’t have lifted a 1kg dumb bell. She’s meeting a few nice ones here, up in grade, but she’s drawn better so you can’t count her out. She tries hard and really digs in.”
Race 7: Lincoln Downs
7.50pm
“She did everything right on Tuesday but she blew heavily afterwards and I think the heat got to her. She’s a place chance if she recovers OK.”
Race 8: Lincoln Maree
8.22pm
“She was jumping shadows on Tuesday and moves to the last race this time but she’s not the most genuine so I’m not holding my breath.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 3: Lincoln Lover
6.28pm
“He hasn’t raced for three months but trialled really well. I pick he’s going to win one pretty quickly and, given he’s been running against the best two-year-olds in his previous preps, it should really be on Friday night. This lot of maidens aren’t in the same class and he’s as honest as they come, a tough little trier.”
Race 6: Debbie Lincoln
8.09pm
“She’s really up against it from the outside of the second line, with all the favourites drawn well. She has to be the unluckest animal on the planet. With her, what can go wrong will. Even at the best of times you need a reasonable draw to figure but drawn in the bondocks here she’ll need incredible luck.”
Race 8: Sugar Ray Lincoln
9.09pm
“He had a short break while some vet work was done but is in good trim. Yes, there are a few in here that are vastly higher rated but his formline says it all - it’s not often he doesn’t get a cheque.”
Race 8: Tyson
9.09pm
“He was a bit unlucky last week that he didn’t get to them a bit sooner otherwise I think he would have won. Maurice said he thought they’d come back to him more, going 2:39 speed, but his closing sectionals were easily the best in the race.”
Race 10: Prince Lincoln
10.09pm
“He’s grown into a beautiful horse, a quality looking colt, and who knows what he could be. He’ll obviously improve with the run but I still expect him to run well from his good draw. He trialled very well behind a good one.”
Race 10: Johnny Lincoln
10.09pm
“He’s drawn a bit awkwardly in seven, which gives Prince Lincoln the edge, but he too was making good ground in the workout.”
