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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Our runners this week
Friday night at Auckland
What’s Up The Hill.
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Nathan’s comments
Tuesday twilight at Manawatu
Race 3: Onyx Shard
5.09pm
“She’s working really well and, from the good draw, hopefully she can run a drum. The field’s not that much harder than the one she beat last time at Manawatu (when parked for the last lap).”
Race 3: Kevin Kline
5.09pm
“We’re very happy with him - he’s come back a better horse. He went well at Auckland last start and is working well. We’ll be looking to go forward from the gate and hopefully get a gun run through behind Onyx Shard. On ability, he’s the better chance of the two.”
Race 4: Leo Lincoln
5.39pm
“He stepped like a bullet in his first go from a stand here in March. I thought he’d do the same on the second day but he galloped. We’ve got an overcheck on and hopple shorteners on Tuesday so he should make a good beginning. If he can step and lead, then maybe take a trail, he should be hard to beat. He likes it down there where the track is quite soft.”
Nathan’s comments
Thursday night at Manawatu
Race 3: Onyx Shard
6.04pm
“I thought I had Kevin Kline covered on Tuesday when we got to the straight because she was really travelling but he kicked away on us. It would be nice if she can get out of the gate as well again - she has good gate speed - and, if she does, she can get some of it again.”
Race 3: Kevin Kline
6.04pm
“He was too good for them on Tuesday, thanks to a great Fergy drive, and he’s in the same field again this time. The extra distance and wide draw shouldn’t make much of a difference and he’s our best of the night.”
Race 5: Leo Lincoln
7.02pm
“He’ll be hard to beat again if he steps like he did on Tuesday. The 10 metre handicap shouldn’t stop him. I think he’s even better if he follows something and the extra 500 metres isn’t a worry.”
