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Driver Hayden Barnes, with Trojan Banner, tries out Lincoln Farms’ new colours which will be seen out for the first time on Tuesday.

It’s green for go! Hayden models the new silks which he’ll wear behind Hustler on Tuesday

Trainer Al Barnes is stoked that Northview Hustler will be the first horse to carry the new silks he’s designed for his Lincoln Farms team at Albion Park on Tuesday.

What better occasion to unveil the new green strip with white Lincoln Farms’ logo than behind the horse he hopes can make a big impact at the looming Brisbane winter carnival.

It’s hard to make a case for anything to beat the Hustler in the opening race on the card, a c5 to c8 race over 2138 metres.

With a metropolitan grading of M4, he meets a small field of six M0s and, despite starting from the outside of the gate, he will be a raging hot favourite to maintain his unbeaten record in Brisbane.

Hayden Barnes is sitting quietly as Northview Hustler clocks a brilliant 1:53.1 mile rate last Tuesday.Hayden Barnes is sitting quietly as Northview Hustler clocks a brilliant 1:53.1 mile rate last Tuesday.Barnes reports the Hustler has bounced out of his incredible winning run last Tuesday when he careered away by 16 metres to clock a rare mile rate of 1:53.1 for the 2138 metres.

“He’s super, bright as a button,” says Barnes.

“This is not a hard race for him. Hayden will punch out and if they show him some respect he’ll lead. If not, he’ll sit quietly in the chair and I don’t think that would worry him too much.’’

Hustler’s task was made all the easier today with the scratching of the free-running Pinup Boy who was drawn to contest the early lead.

And Barnes can’t see New South Wales pacer Vettel troubling Hustler in his first run in the state.

“He could be a pest and lead. He’s not a danger of beating us but he might get in the way.’’

Vettel has a fastest mile time of 1:51.5 and scored all the way at Menangle three starts ago in 1:53.

Hustler’s 1:53.1 is easily the fastest mile rate for Tuesday’s distance range, the next best being Vettel’s 1:55.8.

Tuesday’s race will be the last for Northview Hustler until June 22 when he contests the A$31,400 Redcliffe Cup but Barnes is likely to trial the horse there next week to make sure he can handle the tight triangular shaped circuit.

Also headed to the trials, at Albion Park on Tuesday, is Trojan Banner who is unbeaten in five Queensland starts for Lincoln Farms.

Barnes gave Trojan Banner a freshener after his last win on April 23 so as to time his run at the A$100,000 Queensland Derby on July 20.

“He’s come up good as gold but he’ll need the run tomorrow.

‘He’s still not steering that great - he’s a bit tight in the muscles in his neck and across his rump - but he’ll have acupuncture in the next few days.’’

Northview Hustler races at 3.56pm NZ time on Tuesday.Northview Hustler races at 3.56pm NZ time on Tuesday.

Our runners this week: How our trainer rates them

Ray Green

Ray’s comments

Friday night at Auckland

Race 1: Angelic Copy
4.53pm

“She’s done everything right and trialled really nicely. I think she’s forward enough to give some cheek. She’s only small. You like to think when you get a good two-year-old like her that they’ll get stronger and transition into a nice three-year-old but she hasn’t grown an inch. But she tries hard and enjoys being out there.”

Race 2: Major Copy
5.28pm

“I’m looking forward to seeing him. You never really know ’til you get to the races but he’s trialled well enough to start and I wouldn’t be surprised if he went a good race, despite the draw. He’s a nice sensible colt who’s done nothing wrong and he could develop into a really nice three-year-old.”

Race 6: Lincoln Wave
7.22pm

“He was starting to get into the habit of switching off so we trained him in blinds this week and he went pretty well. He was good from a standing start at the trials with shorteners in and Maurice was actually quite bullish about his standing start manners and thinks that, in time, he’ll end up being a quick beginner. If he steps well, and can land in the first one or two, he’ll definitely be hard to get round.”

Race 6: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.22pm

“He’s not spectacular from a stand but he will get away, albeit sometimes a bit slowly. Lincoln Wave has more speed than him but if it comes down to a slugfest he’d be too strong as he’s rock hard fit.”

Race 8: Prince Lincoln
8.23pm

“The blinds go back on this week and if he steps and leads like he did three starts ago that would make him the one to beat. He showed with that win that he’s above average and will be a serious chance.”

Race 8: Rivergirl Bella
8.23pm

“You could argue she’s a Cambridge horse but sometimes when you throw them in with the bear cats they lift their game and I thought she was really good here last week. Tony (Cameron) said she’d have finished a bit closer too if he hadn’t had to take hold of her close to home (when he ran out of room and hit a marker pole).”

Race 8: Sammy Lincoln
8.23pm

“We’ve got blinds on him this week. Harry said he lost concentration a couple of times last week, including at the top of the straight, and thought he’d be a bit more on to it with blinds on. I still thought his was the run of the race last time - none of the others could have done what he did - and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him score.”

Dan Costello Race Photography