Bondi Shake’s foot looks ugly but he’s completely recovered from a nasty infection.
Shake will rattle and roll from awful draw on Tuesday and hope for some overdue luck
By Barry Lichter • 31 May 2021
He might have an ugly looking hoof but that won’t stop Bondi Shake from hot footing it out of the gate at Albion Park on Tuesday night.
Lincoln Farms’ three-year-old hasn’t stopped improving since he recovered from a foot infection and has gone to the line untested in this last two starts, unable to find a gap.
At Albion Park last Tuesday, he became trapped in the one-one and only needed some luck in the run home to reward his followers at odds of $51.
“He’s busting to win a race,” says trainer Al Barnes. “It’s just a shame he’s got such a horrible draw on Tuesday.”
Bondi Shake (3) is snookered right in behind the leaders after being unable to get clear in the run home when full of running.Drawn the outside of the arm, Barnes says Bondi Shake will be out of the race over only a mile if he goes back so you can expect his son Hayden to chance his arm at the start.
“We’ll just go out hard and see where we end up. He just needs an ounce of luck to be competitive.”
Barnes had to cut a massive chunk of Bondi Shake’s foot away, all dead and rotten from the infection which stopped him in March.
“His foot’s not pretty but I had to clean it all up and ended up cutting about a quarter of it away.
“But it shouldn’t worry him while it grows back, it’s not raw, it’s just like cutting back a long fingernail.”
Barnes says Bondi Shake is working well and feeling good and is starting to develop into a nice horse.
“He’s showing a lot more strength - after being used up early he’s still getting home well.
“He can run a high 26 out of the gate - he’s learning how to use his gate speed - and he’s in a field that he could beat if he’d drawn better.
“It’s a similar quality field to last time but the New Zealand import Hemsworth looks like he could be good.”
Hemsworth, a last start winner at Gore in March for trainer Kirk Larsen, won a 1660 metre trial at Albion Park on May 18 in a mile rate of 1:55.8.
But drawn the inside of the second row on Tuesday he too will need some luck.
Bondi Shake races at 5.12pm NZ time at Albion Park on Tuesday.
More news in Harness
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Shunt and tangled tail hamper our Johnny - why he can win Friday’s Lincoln Farms Pace
Ray: Put the line through Johnny’s last run - it was a walk-fest and he copped it late
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.”
