Revealed: It’s Shartin’s owner who’s chasing our little warrior Trojan Banner
By Barry Lichter • 6 August 2019
The owner of the world’s hottest pacer Shartin is chasing Trojan Banner who was untouched to win his trial at Albion Park tonight.
Test driven by Emmett Brosnan with a view to buying Lincoln Farms’ colt, Trojan Banner led throughout the 1660 metre heat, ripping off a final 800 metres in 54.3 to beat Bettor Vision by 4.6 metres.
And afterwards Brosnan, son of veteran trainer Richard Brosnan, told trainer Al Barnes “he loved the horse” and would be advising American owner Richard Poillucci to buy him.
Shartin … the hottest pacer in the United States.Only last weekend Poillucci enjoyed the thrill of a lifetime when his former Kiwi pacer Shartin ran the fastest mile ever by a mare, clocking 1:46.4 in winning the Lady Liberty Final at the Meadowlands.
Lincoln Farms and its partners in the colt are still considering Poillucci’s offer, but Trojan Banner will be vetted for sale on Thursday morning.
The colt has been in scintillating form since arriving in Queensland earlier this year, winning seven races on end and clocking the fastest closing sectionals when fifth in Self Assured’s Queensland Derby.
He cruised it tonight, with a very slow second quarter of 33.5, asked only to run home his last 800, with his overall mile rate a sedate 1:57.2.
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Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Rivergirl Bella
5.14pm
“She tries hard and is getting stronger. She just needs a trip to be right there.”
Race 3: Copy N Paste
6.16pm
“Maurice said he got a bit tired on debut but I didn’t expect a lot. Four months ago you’d have wondered if he’d ever qualify. He’ll improve on that - he’s improving all the time - but from seven he’ll have to go back and come into it late.”
Race 5: Lincoln Linda
7.14pm
“She’s up in grade but is a chance again if she can get a good run up the front of the field. It was a good effort last time to break 2:43.”
Race 8: Lincoln Maree
8.49pm
“She’s trained on OK and, while no champion, has to be a chance down in grade against the amateur horses.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 4: Jessie Lincoln
6.57pm
“I can’t see her beating Sammy Lincoln but with a good draw at last you’ll see a better performance. She’s capable of finishing in the first three.”
Race 4: Spirit Of God
6.57pm
“She bolted in at the workouts, leading out from a wide gate and getting home in 27.9. She’s a great driving little mare and has good manners. I could see her winning one very soon.”
Race 4: Sammy Lincoln
6.57pm
“I know we’ve said it before but he has been unlucky a few times and, all things being fair and square, it’s hard to see him beaten. The draw is awkward but everything points to him winning. There are no derby horses in there and he went a great race in the Northern Derby last start.”
Race 4: Marylynes Boy
6.57pm
“He’s a tidy little horse. I can’t see him winning from the (second row) draw but he’s like Spirit Of God, he’s not far away from winning one.”
Race 5: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.25pm
“He’s been a late developer. You can see it in his growth, his withers have finally popped up, and he’ll get better as time goes on. He’s no champion but he should be a handy horse through winter. He’s capable of stepping away fairly well.”
Race 5: Leo Lincoln
7.25pm
“It’s a toss-up between the two of them. Sugar Ray is a bit stronger perhaps but Leo is very good from a stand. You can forget that last run in the Messenger - he was only in there to help get the race off the ground.”
Race 7: Prince Lincoln
8.25pm
“He finally showed us what he’s got last week. Inside second row draws can be awkward - you’re at the mercy of the others - but he could end up with a good trail behind the leader.”
