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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It’s Christmas-New Year Bliss for Phillips but just who has his mare fallen in love with?
Our runners this week
Monday at Taupo
Lincoln Maree, Lincoln Lover.
Our runners this week: How our trainer rates them
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 2: Sammy Lincoln
5.48pm
“Sammy Lincoln has a bit more speed than Lincoln Wave - he’s very fast for a big, rangy horse - but he might be vulnerable on Friday - he could experience difficulty on the corners going right-handed. He won’t be a maiden for long.”
Race 2: Lincoln Wave
5.48pm
“I’d say he’d be the more reliable of our two. He was clearly our best two-year-old before he got injured and we’ve waited a long time for him. He’s a powerful colt and should have a bright future.”
Race 5: Johnny Lincoln
7.13pm
“The seven draw is a bit awkward but he’s trained on really well since Cambridge and I’m picking he’ll go really well.”
Race 8: Tyson
8.38pm
“He had a week off after his last run at Auckland, but I don’t think he’ll be short of a run. He’ll come back into the fray as tough as ever.”
Race 8: Spiritual Bliss
8.38pm
“She was incredibly unlucky at Cambridge. The gap opened up for Harrison, he tried to push through, then it closed on him. If she led, she’d be the one to beat. She’s a nice mare and she’s pretty tough, she doesn’t give it up.”
