See ya Louie, but make sure you slip, slop, slap in that harsh Queensland sun

Capable three-year-old Double Or Nothing will be on a flight to Brisbane on Tuesday to continue his career under the wing of Marburg trainer Al Barnes.

And Barnes says he can’t wait to get his hands on the consistent Sweet Lou gelding whom he has watched competing in New Zealand for some time.

“I’m looking forward to it,” says Barnes. “He could be a real surprise packet. On form I reckon he could be better than Trojan Banner.”

Barnes took over Trojan Banner as a three-win horse in January and the little colt went on to win seven races straight before his sale to the United States.

“There are a few handy three-year-olds up here but I’d say Double Or Nothing would be one of the better ones, in the top three or four.”

Barnes is keen to try driving Double Or Nothing cold “to use his speed at the back end of his races, rather than the front.

“He’s tended to paddle over the last 100 metres but we’ll try driving him with one run, and I’ll try to train him to keep him fresh.”

Double Or Nothing, pictured scoring at Cambridge, has high speed but lacks the strength to compete against the best here.Trainer Ray Green believes Double Or Nothing, whose stable name is Louie, will win plenty of races in Brisbane where he will enjoy the big drop in class, similar to the scenario with Billy Lincoln who was poor here but racked up three wins and three seconds from seven starts in Brisbane before his sale to the States.

“Compared with Billy Lincoln, Double Or Nothing is like a Grand Circuit horse. He has good ability and is fast enough but he’s not strong enough to be a serious racehorse - he doesn’t seem to be able to finish his races off.

“And when we threw him in the deep end it was too tough for him. He may get stronger with time of course.”

In all, Double Or Nothing raced 20 times here for two wins and 11 placings, banking a very respectable $40,275 in stakes.

While unable to win at two, he earned $18,260 from nine starts, never finishing further back than fourth.

And he quickly found the winner’s circle at three, scoring a double at Auckland and Cambridge in September and October.

Double Or Nothing is raced by Lincoln Farms’ owners John and Lynne Street along with Neville McAlister, Rod and Sue Fleming, who raced Vasari, and Bob Best who has enjoyed success in Australia with Trojan Banner and Make Way.