Hilary Barry pacing sweetly in front at Pukekohe today before a hopple carrier strap broke.
Oh no, it’s the Hilary Barry jinx as hopple carrier strap breaks - again!
By Barry Lichter • 5 January 2019
Two weeks out from the first Young Guns’ heat for fillies, Lincoln Farms’ big hope Hilary Barry is still having rotten luck.
The filly had been working so well in recent weeks, trainer Ray Green was confident we’d see her best at the Pukekohe trials today.
And it all looked to be going to script when Hilary Barry tore off the mobile gate to take the lead for driver Andre Poutama.
Still pacing sweetly with 700 metres to run, the filly suddenly went into a wild break and continued to gallop for a couple of hundred metres before returning to her gait and finishing 35 lengths from the leading pair.
The broken end of the hopple carrier strap which torpedoed Hilary Barry today.Unbelieveably, Poutama revealed that one of the filly’s hopple carrier straps had broken and become entangled around her hind leg.
“I saw it dangling there before we got to the half. It wrapped round her back leg and she galloped as soon as she got round the bend.
“We were really travelling at the time too and I don’t think they would have caught her.’’
Uncannily, the same thing happened when Hilary Barry had her first trial, and since then she’s also thrown a shoe during a workout and suffered a stone bruise.
Bad luck aside, Green is really happy with the progress Hilary Barry has made in recent weeks and believes she is on track to be a real contender for the $25,000 Young Guns Fillies’ Heat on January 18.
Stablemate Beaudiene Blinkz is also still on target for that race even though she was withdrawn from the heat today after her hocks were injected a couple of days ago.
Man Of Action is bolting for Zachary Butcher as he moves alongside Eighteen Carat on the home turn.Man Of Action’s easy kill
Green transferred Man Of Action into the fillies’ heat to boost numbers and “give the horse an easy kill” to lift his confidence.
And while the judge credited rival Eighteen Carat with a nose win, Butcher reported Man Of Action was just cruising at the finish and could easily have won.
“I was swinging on him,’’ Butcher said after the heat which was cut out in 2:05.2, the closing 800 metres in 60.3 and 400 in 28.3.
“Isn’t he a lovely mover,’’ said Green. “He looked like a monster coming round the corner.’’
Green was keen to give Man Of Action a confidence-builder after a recent let-up when he was eased in training following several beatings by his more precocious stablemates.
Man Of Action only has to continue his progress to give Lincoln Farms a potential six starters in the next Young Guns colts’ heat on February 8.
More news in Harness
This is it, Sammy, the draw’s a bit of a pain but you can eat these non-winners for breakfast
Prince Lincoln finally shows what he’s made of - and, wow, was that a blazing demolition!
Hey Wendy and Amy, go easy of Fergs as he’s doing a sterling job taming Lincoln Linda
Third time lucky for Wave’s little bro Omaha Lincoln who finally debuts at Auckland
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Rivergirl Bella
5.14pm
“She tries hard and is getting stronger. She just needs a trip to be right there.”
Race 3: Copy N Paste
6.16pm
“Maurice said he got a bit tired on debut but I didn’t expect a lot. Four months ago you’d have wondered if he’d ever qualify. He’ll improve on that - he’s improving all the time - but from seven he’ll have to go back and come into it late.”
Race 5: Lincoln Linda
7.14pm
Update: Scratched
“She’s up in grade but is a chance again if she can get a good run up the front of the field. It was a good effort last time to break 2:43.”
Race 8: Lincoln Maree
8.49pm
“She’s trained on OK and, while no champion, has to be a chance down in grade against the amateur horses.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 4: Jessie Lincoln
6.57pm
“I can’t see her beating Sammy Lincoln but with a good draw at last you’ll see a better performance. She’s capable of finishing in the first three.”
Race 4: Spirit Of God
6.57pm
“She bolted in at the workouts, leading out from a wide gate and getting home in 27.9. She’s a great driving little mare and has good manners. I could see her winning one very soon.”
Race 4: Sammy Lincoln
6.57pm
“I know we’ve said it before but he has been unlucky a few times and, all things being fair and square, it’s hard to see him beaten. The draw is awkward but everything points to him winning. There are no derby horses in there and he went a great race in the Northern Derby last start.”
Race 4: Marylynes Boy
6.57pm
“He’s a tidy little horse. I can’t see him winning from the (second row) draw but he’s like Spirit Of God, he’s not far away from winning one.”
Race 5: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.25pm
“He’s been a late developer. You can see it in his growth, his withers have finally popped up, and he’ll get better as time goes on. He’s no champion but he should be a handy horse through winter. He’s capable of stepping away fairly well.”
Race 5: Leo Lincoln
7.25pm
“It’s a toss-up between the two of them. Sugar Ray is a bit stronger perhaps but Leo is very good from a stand. You can forget that last run in the Messenger - he was only in there to help get the race off the ground.”
Race 7: Prince Lincoln
8.25pm
“He finally showed us what he’s got last week. Inside second row draws can be awkward - you’re at the mercy of the others - but he could end up with a good trail behind the leader.”
