
Double Or Nothing is off to Queensland tomorrow where he will need that nose flap which protects his white face from the sun.
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.
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Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them

Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 7: Im Not The Maid
8.15pm
“She couldn’t knick off a perfect trip last time in the amateur race so I won’t be holding my breath here.”

Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 2: Leo Lincoln
5.53pm
“It looks like it will be a replica of his last two runs. He needs to drop down a class.”
Race 2: Kevin Kline
5.53pm
“I think he’lll go another good race but you couldn’t make a case for him to beat the two favourites (American Me or Mantra Blue). If he ran third, I’d be rapt. He’s very genuine and his form reflects that.”
Race 3: The Rascal
6.24pm
“We’ve chucked him in the deep end - he’s a maiden against race winners - but he’s improving all the time. Fergy had difficulty steering him last time and said if he could have got him out, he would have won. We’ve made little changes to his gear this time and I think he’s a serious contender.”
Race 7: Sugar Ray Lincoln
8.26pm
“He feels super in his work. I’m really pleased with him. I know he hasn’t lived up to his early promise but the way he’s training he might now be ready to realise it.”
Race 9: Dreams Of Eric
9.32pm
“He wasn’t handling the right-handed going so well, which was why he switched to racing at Cambridge, but he’s a genuine little guy, a strong colt with a bit of speed. I think he’s a chance, it’s just the draw, but it’s only a small field.”