Louie The Punter’s been sold but he’s worth black-booking after smart trial at Bathurst
By Barry Lichter • 26 May 2022
Louie The Punter … trialled like a next-up winner on Monday. PHOTO: Trish Dunell.Louie The Punter has his foot on the till but when the payout comes it will be for new owners.
The four-year-old Sweet Lou gelding, tipped to have a bright future in Queensland, has been sold by Lincoln Farms and is primed to open his Australian account in New South Wales.
Now with Bathurst trainer Bernie Hewitt, Louie The Punter showed he was busting to win when trialled there on Monday, coming from five lengths off the lead on the home turn to win by 2.2 metres untested in a slick 1:56.9 mile rate for the 1730 metres.
Louie The Punter, formerly raced by Lincoln Farms’ owners John and Lynne Street and Glenn and Ann Cotterill, arrived in Queensland in March the winner of just three of his 21 starts.
But trainer Mark Dux had him labelled as an immediate multi-race winner after he was photo-finished in his two Brisbane outings in April.
Out of the Bettors Delight mare Love A Gamble, Louie The Punter is a brother of Lincoln Farms’ former consistent pacer Double Or Nothing and a half brother to the 29-race winner Let It Ride who has clocked 1:48.2 in the States.
Woodlands Stud’s half-brother by Downbytheseaside was one of the most sought-after lots at today’s New Zealand Bloodstock weanling sale at Karaka, fetching $36,000 to the bid of Queensland agent Stu Valentine.
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Ray’s comments
Wednesday at Cambridge
Race 3: Spiritual Bliss
1.10pm
“You can’t fault what she’s done up here and she’s trained on really well since Manawatu. She seems to have a good motor and can carry her speed a long way. It’s a bit of a step-up on Wednesday, and she’s drawn out a bit, but she should be right in the fray.”
Race 4: Lincoln Lover
1.45pm
“It’s a huge drop in class for him on what he’s been racing. The Purdon horse Crippa Max looks the one to beat on his trial but I’m picking we’ll finish in the first three at worst. He’s very honest and does nothing wrong.”
Race 6: Lincoln Downs
2.55pm
“She got skittled early last time when one galloped in front of her, and that didn’t help. It would be nice to see her get a good trip, with no incidents, and see what she can do. She’s no superstar but she tries hard.”
Race 9: Leo Lincoln
4.31pm
“It’s his first race for more than four months and I’m picking he’ll need the run. It was a toss-up whether we went to the trials, but he’d probably have had no opposition, so it made sense to drop him in here. He’s training well and seems in good shape but whatever he does, he’ll improve on.”
