Quick back-up for Bondi Shake on Friday and Hustler returns in great heart on Saturday
By Barry Lichter • 21 January 2021
Trainer Al Barnes admits he doesn’t know how Bondi Shake will handle a quick back-up but the field he faces on Friday at Albion Park is way easier than the opposition he met on Tuesday.
And even from the outside of the gate, Barnes fancies the chances of the improving three-year-old in the third race.
“It’s a nice race for him and he’s come through Tuesday’s run as good as gold. We’re still learning about him so I don’t know if he will back up but he appears to be a horse who will.”
Barnes is keen to get Bondi Shake into a regular Friday racing routine rather than sticking to Tuesdays where he has to take on better horses.
“That race on Tuesday was brutal. He was a little weak at the finish but that’s the quickest he’s gone. He hadn’t run that time in front before.”
While Bondi Shake led and was collared soon after turning for home, he was still only five metres from winner Kotare Elite who clocked a mile rate of 1:54.4 for the 1660 metres.
Bondi Shake meets much easier opposition on Friday. PHOTO: Dan Costello.And Barnes says, in hindsight, they should have taken a sit on the favourite Boomchuckalucka, not held the top and forced him to breeze.
“We thought with a good horse outside him he’d keep fighting. But if he’d taken a sit at worst he would have run second. Next time in a race as strong as that we’ll drive him a bit more conservatively.
“He’s drawn seven on Friday but it’s not an overly strong field and he’ll be hard to beat.
“I think he’ll be better once he’s up in distance too. I don’t think he’s a miler - he has more stamina than speed.”
Northview Hustler makes a return to the track on Saturday night after giving last week a miss and Barnes reckons he’s training well enough to run a place.
The little warrior has drawn the inside of the second row in the third race but Barnes doesn’t mind that.
“That’s not a bad thing as he’s still following speed and he should finish top three.
Northview Hustler clocks a career best 1:52.5 mile rate. PHOTO: Dan Costello.“If he trails Watch Pulp Fiction, he wins, but it’s more likely he’ll be three fence, in which case he can run second.
“It will be hard to make up two lengths on Turn It Up in the straight but he’s worked really well this week.”
Barnes says the Hustler has really responded to more maintenance work on his joints.
“We know he jarred up at his last start because he didn’t run on.”
Northview Hustler ran only sixth behind Major Cam on January 9 but had that horse well covered the previous week, clocking a career best 1:52.5 mile rate.
Bondi Shake races at 4.03pm NZ time at Albion Park on Friday.
Northview Hustler races at 9.35pm NZ time at Albion Park on Saturday night.
More news in Harness
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Bang! Lincoln Wave’s tyre blows out, startling rival drivers but Alabar win would shock more
Cheapies The Night Fox and Lincoln Maree keep the tally ticking over at Cambridge
Little Missy Lincoln can stand up for herself in Young Guns fillies’ heat on Friday night
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Nathan’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: The Night Fox
5.44pm
“From a good front line draw Harry can run off the gate and find the front. He’s shown he’s got the speed to get there. And if he can go 2:42 again, or quicker, I thought he’d be a very good winning chance. It’s an easier field than the one he beat last time. He’s trained well this week.”
Race 2: Rivergirl Bella
6.09pm
“She goes down to Cambridge for the first time so it’s a big drop in class. She also goes a lot better left-handed so I thought from the good draw she could run top three.”
Race 3: Lincoln Maree
6.34pm
“She paced a 1:56.7 mile in beating the amateurs last start but it looks like she’ll need a bit of luck from the draw this time. The two inside her like to lead so she could end up three fence or outside them. I’ll leave it up to Harry to get the right trip.”
Race 3: Lincoln Lover
6.34pm
“He’s a place chance. He likes bowling along but from five it’s hard to say where he’ll end up. He’s very consistent and he paced 2:42.3 last time so I can absolutely see him in the money.”
Race 6: Lincoln Linda
8.04pm
“She was in a very strong R40 to R48 race last time at Auckland against horses like Alecto, All Of Me and Cyclone Rebel, and she clocked 2:41.1, so back to Cambridge where she won her first race, and a much easier R38 to R40 field, she’s got to be a good winning chance. She’s best in front if Fergie can get there.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Leo Lincoln
4.42pm
“I’m not holding my breath with him. We won’t count that last run, when the leader went ballistic and he couldn’t get into the race, but he’s not well placed here.”
Race 4: Spiritual Bliss
6.09pm
“She’s racing really well and this looks a bit easier than last time when she was trapped in the breeze in a strong field. I can’t see how she won’t be right in the fight.”
Race 7: Missy Lincoln
7.34pm
“I didn’t know what to expect on debut but she was very brave. I’m picking she’ll go well again but she’ll need a bit of luck - drawn the second line we’re at the mercy of others. We’ll poke her out and see. At least she won’t get parked this time.”
Race 10: Lincoln Wave
9.07pm
“We’re racing the best horses now but he’ll definitely go better than last time. Tony (Herlihy) said he felt super across the top but once in the straight he flattened out, which I half expected. I had him scoped afterwards just to make sure he was all right but he was short of a run, that’s all.”
Race 10: Johnny Lincoln
9.07pm
“He went super when third last week and Fergie said just wait ’til he gets over 2700 metres, he’ll be a monster. He’s turned into a proper racehorse. From four there’ll be a bit of urgency early and hopefully he can get a suck along and get some of it.”
