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Stablemate Beaudiene Blinkz is also still on target for that race even though she was withdrawn from the heat today after her hocks were injected a couple of days ago.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.
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Ray’s comments
Tuesday at Addington
Race 9: Debbie Lincoln
4.03pm
“She’s drawn out but I think she’s got the gate speed to be put into the race. You’ve got to be handy to beat the good ones and we don’t want to be stuck behind some of the others. The one drawn two inside us, Arafura, looks the one to beat but Debbie is as good as anything in the race in my opinion. It’s not going to be easy but I’m hopeful. She’s done well down here and is in good shape.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Cambridge
Race 5: Im Not The Maid
6.17pm
“The draw helps and while she’s very honest she still needs to improve. Gary Hall said she was a bit stop-start last time but he cut corners and wasn’t too far away at the finish. He reckoned his toe rope broke at the top of the straight.”
Race 8: Lincoln Maree
7.49pm
“She showed no speed when resuming and it’s hard to see her playing a part in this.”
Race 8: Lincoln Downs
7.49pm
“She went the best of them last time, was hampered turning or home, and could improve.”
Race 8: Jessie Lincoln
7.49pm
“She’s a big filly but so far, so good. There are a few negatives, like the second row draw and it being her first time under lights, but I think she could go quite well. It’s not a wonderful lot against her and she’s training well.”
Race 8: Lincoln’s Spice
7.49pm
“She over-raced early first-up and burned herself out. She’s a delicate little thing but we’ll put some plugs in her this week. Last time in I thought she could be the best of them. Whether the others have caught her up or she’s gone backwards I don’t know.”
