Double Or Nothing is closing nicely for third at the finish of his fast-run trial last Friday.
Only a tricky second row draw stops Hayden from labelling Double Or Nothing on Thursday
By Barry Lichter • 7 January 2020
A sterling trial has driver Hayden Barnes feeling bullish about Double Or Nothing’s Queensland debut at Albion Park on Thursday.
“From a good draw I would have been confident of winning but it’s going to be tricky from the outside of the second row,” says Barnes.
“But he feels like a really nice horse and he’ll be fitter for his trial.”
Having his first serious test over 1660 metres last Friday since arriving in Queensland, Barnes didn’t hurry Double Or Nothing out of the gate from the pole, happy to settle three deep on the markers.
And when he asked him to run up the home straight Double Or Nothing responded well to minimal urging from Barnes to finish third, 5.3 metres from the winner Macey Jayde (10 wins), with My Secret Beach (9 wins) second.
“I was happy to run about 1:56,” says Barnes. “So he did well considering they went 1:54.4. I was really happy with him and he hit the line well.”
On closing sectionals of 55.6 and 28, Double Or Nothing made ground strongly on the leading pair who are rated significantly higher - Macey Jayde an R78 horse and My Secret Beach an R72.
As an R59 pacer, Double Or Nothing is easily the highest rated in Thursday’s field, although Barnes points out fresh runner Amaya Becomes, who leaves from gate six, was a promising two-year-old last season. And another useful sort is Cheeseandkisses who made up more than 13 metres on the leaders in the last 800 metres last Friday.
“But if we get a good trip we’ll be right there.”
Double Or Nothing, Mr Consistency with two wins and 11 placings from 20 starts, has not raced since December 5 when he started favourite at Cambridge but weakened late to seventh after leading.
Fast sectionals
Sir Tiger, who runs two races later in 53 to 58 class, might have an indifferent form line but it hides several recent useful efforts, including his third last Friday.
Driving Sir Tiger quietly, Barnes had him at the rear, four back in the running line, and didn’t ask him to run until approaching the home turn when he came widest.
Sir Tiger’s closing sectionals were easily the fastest in the race last week - 55.25 and 26.96.Sir Tiger’s late burst was a feature of the race and saw him run easily the fastest sectionals, his last 800 in 55.25 and 400 in 26.96.
“I knew he’d hit the line well but I didn’t think he’d gone that well until I saw the splits,” says Barnes.
Sir Tiger’s finishing burst saw him close strongly on hot favourite Another Statement to be just 8.3 metres away.
Barnes says Sir Tiger seems to be responding to a new training regime were he makes sure the horse finishes his work charging to the line, feeling good in himself.
“And he is getting better which is a positive.”
Drawn five on Thursday, Barnes will be hoping to settle as handy as he can without using Sir Tiger at the start.
“It’s an even field but with some luck he can be right there at the finish.”
Double Or Nothing runs at 5.28pm NZ time at Albion Park on Thursday.
Sir Tiger runs at 6.38pm NZ time at Albion Park on Thursday.
More news in Harness
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Lincoln Linda best of the night at Cambridge - she has the engine to cross Soul Artist
Cheapie Johnny Lincoln a “proper” racehorse who can foot it with the Million bluebloods
Bang! Lincoln Wave’s tyre blows out, startling rival drivers but Alabar win would shock more
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Rivergirl Bella
5.44pm
“She did well here last time as she had to do a bit to get to the lead and she dug in and fought on. She’s certainly a chance if she repeats that effort.”
Race 4: Lincoln Linda
7.09pm
“I thought she went super last time after doing a lot of work. She can do that because she has an engine and is tough. She’s a bit one-dimensional - you have to turn her loose early - but from the two draw she should be able to lead and that’s where she does her best work.”
Race 5: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.34pm
“I think he’s a bit stronger after his spell. It’s not a great field - most will die on that mark - and I don’t see a problem with the standing start as he’s nicely gaited. He could be marginally unfit after three months out but he’s done quite a bit of work and I can see him going a half-decent race.”
Race 6: Lincoln Maree
7.59pm
“She had every chance last time but I can’t see why she won’t go well again. She’s as honest as they come and tries like hell.”
Race 7: The Night Fox
8.29pm
“You’d think he’d lead easily from the inside. He’s had bad draws and still got the money, so I’m sure he’ll go another good race. I’m surprised they sold him so cheaply. He’s better than people think.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Lincoln Wave
5.09pm
“With the trip he got in the Harness Million I thought he’d have run on a lot better. But he was still a bit short on fitness and sometimes we can expect too much of these horses, he was racing the best, after all. It’s a big drop in grade here and he’s a pretty fair horse.”
Race 1: Leo Lincoln
5.09pm
“He’s an honest sort who’s in a good space but he won’t get a wonderful trip from the outside of the gate this time so I’m not holding my breath.”
Race 3: Sammy Lincoln
6.04pm
“He’s training down well but you never know what he’s going to do. You think you’ve got him sorted and he does something silly. But we know if the real Sammy turned up, he’d be very hard to beat as he’s got a lot of speed.”
Race 5: Prince Lincoln
7.05pm
“He’s another where you don’t know which one will turn up but we’ve gelded him since his last run, so we’ll see if that helps. He trained well the other day.”
