Sir Tiger ran out a decisive winner on his last last trip to Cambridge. PHOTO: Phil Williams/FokusPhotography.
Tiger’s earned his stripes and he’s ready to pounce again at Cambridge
By Barry Lichter • 31 July 2019
Sir Tiger will strip a lot fitter at Cambridge on Thursday night and looks well placed to open his three-year-old season on a winning note.
Sir Tiger, who with $26,549 in stake earnings was the highest earner of Lincoln Farms’ own two-year-olds in the season just ending, has drawn nicely in three in the sixth race, which looks easier than the field he faced fresh-up at Auckland last Friday night.
In his first run since June 6, when he scored decisively at Cambridge, Sir Tiger enjoyed a sweet trip in the trail. But when he shot up the passing lane to dispute the lead at the 150 metre mark, his run came to an end and he only battled into fourth, 1.6 lengths from the winner Rubens.
Trainer Ray Green had warned he might be short of a run after only two workouts and an easy week, but says he’ll be much sharper on Thursday.
“He definitely needed the run last week, when he didn’t run on as well as he normally does.
“But it looks to be a weaker field this time and he’ll be fitter. He’ll go another good race, like he always does.”
Hampton Banner … bowling along in the lead for driver Zachary Butcher.Green is also expecting a good debut from Hampton Banner courtesy of his pole position in the fourth race.
“He’s well placed to get a good trip - there’s nothing wonderful in his race and I’m sure he’ll go well.
“He’s gone from nothing to a racehorse virtually overnight but being by Bettor’s Delight you don’t really know what you’ve got until you line them up - they seem to grow another leg at the races.”
Hampton Banner wasn’t good enough to foot it with his two-year-old stablemates on his first prep but in the last couple of months has really improved.
He won his second workout back, working to the lead soon after the start and easily holding on.
And when he trialled the following week, he stuck to pacemaker Mighty Looee all the way, that horse franking the form when winning at Alexandra Park six days later.
He was solid again at last Saturday’s Pukekohe workouts, finishing fourth but only two and a half lengths behind Johnson Step.
Hampton Banner, a brother to six-race winner Scarlet Banner, has shown enough gate speed to hold his position early and could end up with a perfect trip on Thursday night.
His main rival could be Ocean Beach who looked ready to atone for his disappointing first run in the north when leading all the way at the workouts last Saturday.
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Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 4: Tyson
6.59pm
“He was tough again in winning last week. He’s trained on well, is in good shape, and should be right in it.”
Race 4: Sugar Ray Lincoln
6.59pm
“He’s finally getting his act together - he’s gone three good races in a row - and seemingly turned the corner. We’ve had a lot of (vet) work done on him, his feet in particular, and it’s paid off. There’s not much between him and Tyson.”
Race 5: Rivergirl Bella
7.23pm
“She’ll need everything to go her way from the draw. But she’s got a bit of speed. She’s getting there. She wasn’t very strong before and wasn’t tracking too well, but she’s driving right now.”
Race 5: Lincoln Linda
7.23pm
“She’s had a few issues, mostly mental ones, and is still a bit of a handful. It wasn’t very pretty last week but we’re slowly getting her under control. The outside draw might actually help her.”
Race 5: Angelic Copy
7.23pm
“She needs only a half decent trip to feature. She got held up a little bit in the straight at a crucial time last week and that was that.”
Race 6: Prince Lincoln
7.49pm
“He’s drawn the best of ours in three. He got cheated for a run last week. It’s hard to know where he’d have finished without that.”
Race 6: Lincoln Lover
7.49pm
“Ferg reckoned if he’d been able to hold up in the trail last week he would have won. He was very bullish about how he’d gone. The draw’s no help but he can do a bit of work. He’s an honest little guy who saves his best for when the money’s up on racenight.”
Race 6: Johnny Lincoln
7.49pm
“He got a bit keen last week but he should be a lot better this time. He’s still learning and he’s a slow learner. When he does things correctly he’s a pretty nice horse. Hopefully he can get a suck into it from the second row draw.”
