The red spots show areas of Queensland which have had more than 100ml of rain in the last 24 hours.
Queensland’s big wet leaves Man Of Action well short on fitness for Albion Park today
By Barry Lichter • 22 March 2021
A week of wet weather has left Man Of Action well short on fitness for today’s meeting at Albion Park which trainer Al Barnes says may not even go ahead.
Persistent rain in south and east Queensland has left many parts of the state under water and Barnes says his track at Marburg has been a bog for a week and a half.
“It’s pouring down. We’ve probably had 200ml. We had 100ml before yesterday when the rain set in and it’s been constant since.
“Man Of Action has jogged every day but he’s had a week without fast work. A lot of people will be in the same boat.
“That’s why he’s in on a Monday (poorer fields) because of his lack of fitness. We’ll use it as a fitness run and do the best we can.”
Barnes says had Man Of Action been fit and healthy today’s seventh race, with its lack of form, would have been perfect for him.
But the horse’s health has also not been the best lately, the reason he has run last in both outings since resuming from a spell, the latest on March 12 after trailing throughout.
“Before the rain we had a month of real hot and humid weather and he just didn’t handle it. His coat went right off and he was nearly dehydrated.
“For the last two weeks I’ve been working hard to turn his health around. This cooler weather will help.”
Man Of Action has drawn wide in six on the front line.
Man Of Action races at 5.49pm NZ time at Albion Park on Monday.
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Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 4: Tyson
6.59pm
“He was tough again in winning last week. He’s trained on well, is in good shape, and should be right in it.”
Race 4: Sugar Ray Lincoln
6.59pm
“He’s finally getting his act together - he’s gone three good races in a row - and seemingly turned the corner. We’ve had a lot of (vet) work done on him, his feet in particular, and it’s paid off. There’s not much between him and Tyson.”
Race 5: Rivergirl Bella
7.23pm
“She’ll need everything to go her way from the draw. But she’s got a bit of speed. She’s getting there. She wasn’t very strong before and wasn’t tracking too well, but she’s driving right now.”
Race 5: Lincoln Linda
7.23pm
“She’s had a few issues, mostly mental ones, and is still a bit of a handful. It wasn’t very pretty last week but we’re slowly getting her under control. The outside draw might actually help her.”
Race 5: Angelic Copy
7.23pm
“She needs only a half decent trip to feature. She got held up a little bit in the straight at a crucial time last week and that was that.”
Race 6: Prince Lincoln
7.49pm
“He’s drawn the best of ours in three. He got cheated for a run last week. It’s hard to know where he’d have finished without that.”
Race 6: Lincoln Lover
7.49pm
“Ferg reckoned if he’d been able to hold up in the trail last week he would have won. He was very bullish about how he’d gone. The draw’s no help but he can do a bit of work. He’s an honest little guy who saves his best for when the money’s up on racenight.”
Race 6: Johnny Lincoln
7.49pm
“He got a bit keen last week but he should be a lot better this time. He’s still learning and he’s a slow learner. When he does things correctly he’s a pretty nice horse. Hopefully he can get a suck into it from the second row draw.”
