Man Of Action lives up to his name - his blazing gate speed a good weapon for Brisbane
By Barry Lichter • 13 October 2020
Trainer Al Barnes is hoping he can get a few more horses like Man Of Action from Lincoln Farms after his gutsy all-the-way win at Albion Park today.
In just his third start in Queensland, Man Of Action showed a torrent of gate speed to claim the front and lead all the way at the good odds of $6.
“He’s just the right type of horse to race here,” said Barnes. “He has gate speed and a bit of heart.
“And he’s honest, so he’s going to do a good job here.”
Man Of Action won only twice in New Zealand from 19 starts but he was a consistent placegetter, form which he is already franking in Brisbane.
Man Of Action fights bravely to stave off Our Balou and the fast-finishing Soho Tsunami.At his first start he led until one stride from home and at second time of asking he was held up in the trail by the weakening leader before powering home for second.
Today, driver Hayden Barnes took bad luck out of play when he put the accelerator down out of the gate and easily crossed the three horses inside him.
“That’s where you’ve got to be at the moment with the way the track’s playing. They’re just not winning from the back.”
Man Of Action got away with relatively sedate sectionals, running only 57.1 for his last 800 and 29.2 for the 400, but his fast 27.9 third quarter took his rivals out of play.
And with the mile rate for the 2138 metres only 1:58.3, it made it hard for the late closers to catch him, parked runner Our Balou holding second, a neck away, with a head to the fast-finishing Soho Tsunami.
“It was a nice win and Hayden was happy, he said the horse put in well.
“He’ll go through the grades and win his share here.”
That will be good news to the big group which races the four-year-old which includes John and Lynne Street, the Chissos & Wack Syndicate, Steve Beckett, Kevin Bell, Michael Brereton, Marilyn Brown, Margaret Rabbitt, the Green Machine Racing Syndicate and Athenry Syndicate.
* Resuming stable star Northview Hustler has drawn badly, one from the outside in Saturday night’s seventh race, with state champion Colt Thirty One outside him.
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Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Nathan’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: The Night Fox
5.44pm
“From a good front line draw Harry can run off the gate and find the front. He’s shown he’s got the speed to get there. And if he can go 2:42 again, or quicker, I thought he’d be a very good winning chance. It’s an easier field than the one he beat last time. He’s trained well this week.”
Race 2: Rivergirl Bella
6.09pm
“She goes down to Cambridge for the first time so it’s a big drop in class. She also goes a lot better left-handed so I thought from the good draw she could run top three.”
Race 3: Lincoln Maree
6.34pm
“She paced a 1:56.7 mile in beating the amateurs last start but it looks like she’ll need a bit of luck from the draw this time. The two inside her like to lead so she could end up three fence or outside them. I’ll leave it up to Harry to get the right trip.”
Race 3: Lincoln Lover
6.34pm
“He’s a place chance. He likes bowling along but from five it’s hard to say where he’ll end up. He’s very consistent and he paced 2:42.3 last time so I can absolutely see him in the money.”
Race 6: Lincoln Linda
8.04pm
“She was in a very strong R40 to R48 race last time at Auckland against horses like Alecto, All Of Me and Cyclone Rebel, and she clocked 2:41.1, so back to Cambridge where she won her first race, and a much easier R38 to R40 field, she’s got to be a good winning chance. She’s best in front if Fergie can get there.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Leo Lincoln
4.42pm
“I’m not holding my breath with him. We won’t count that last run, when the leader went ballistic and he couldn’t get into the race, but he’s not well placed here.”
Race 4: Spiritual Bliss
6.09pm
“She’s racing really well and this looks a bit easier than last time when she was trapped in the breeze in a strong field. I can’t see how she won’t be right in the fight.”
Race 7: Missy Lincoln
7.34pm
“I didn’t know what to expect on debut but she was very brave. I’m picking she’ll go well again but she’ll need a bit of luck - drawn the second line we’re at the mercy of others. We’ll poke her out and see. At least she won’t get parked this time.”
Race 10: Lincoln Wave
9.07pm
“We’re racing the best horses now but he’ll definitely go better than last time. Tony (Herlihy) said he felt super across the top but once in the straight he flattened out, which I half expected. I had him scoped afterwards just to make sure he was all right but he was short of a run, that’s all.”
Race 10: Johnny Lincoln
9.07pm
“He went super when third last week and Fergie said just wait ’til he gets over 2700 metres, he’ll be a monster. He’s turned into a proper racehorse. From four there’ll be a bit of urgency early and hopefully he can get a suck along and get some of it.”
