Second row draw makes it tough again for Bondi Shake at Albion Park on Tuesday

Bondi Shake will be driven for luck at Albion Park on Tuesday after again drawing badly on the second row.

The improving three-year-old, who has been dead stiff at long odds in a couple of his recent runs, came from three back on the markers to run fourth in his latest start last Tuesday to finish only 7.8 metres from the winner and hot favourite Call Me Keith.

And trainer-driver Al Barnes says the horse finished as well as anything in the race, clocking closing sectionals of 56.4 and 27.6.

“That topped him off fitness wise. But I’ll have to drive defensively again from three on the second row. I’ll come up the fence and look for gaps.”

Barnes says Bondi Shake is a much improved version since recovering from a foot abscess but, while he always tried hard, he is now up against stronger opposition too.

“It’s very strong here at the moment with a lot of southern horses. There’d have to be 80 to 100 of them here and that will only increase over the winter carnival.

“He’s in between in the ratings at the moment, with so many in that grade. But when he drops one more point he’ll be on the lower side (and benefit from the preferential barrier draw).”

Meanwhile Lincoln Farms newbie Brian Christopher is set to debut in Brisbane next week, on either the Tuesday or Thursday.

“It’s all Redcliffe this week and I didn’t want to take him there. I also had the chiropracter go over him to fix a few problems in his back end and that takes five to seven days to heal.”

Bondi Shake races at 5.47pm NZ time at Albion Park on Tuesday.