
Sir Tiger (Hayden Barnes) never raised a sweat when winning on debut in Queensland.
From the second row, Sir Tiger will sit coiled up on the markers, waiting for his chance
Sir Tiger will be driven quietly at Albion Park on Friday night, his chances completely dependent on what the pole runner does.
Drawn the inside of the second row, trainer Al Barnes says Sir Tiger will simply poke up the fence and take his chances late.
“He’ll be in a good spot, either behind the leader or three fence, but either way he should earn a cheque, we just don’t know what colour.”
Barnes is hoping Special Reserve, “the best horse in the race” holds the front as he says he can’t see a lot of speed.
That would put Sir Tiger in the trail with a good chance to run the leader down. Three deep and he could be in trouble as he lacks a yard of high speed.
“Special Reserve is an honest bread and butter horse and he’ll be hard to beat, especially if it ends up being just a dash up the lane.”
Barnes says Sir Tiger has had a couple of fast runs in training this week to make up for the quiet previous week when he was super fresh.
He will still parade a little fresh through missing last week’s race, when the meeting was abandoned after heavy rain left the track unnegotiable for the mobile barrier car.
“We over-trained him the previous week when he was beaten in the Pot Of Gold Final,” Barnes said, acknowledging they were still learning about their new recruit.
Sir Tiger endured a torrid run that day, three wide for the first 600 metres from the second row, before looping the field (with cover) to sit parked, the effort telling up the stretch when he weakened to sixth.
Sir Tiger kicked off his Queensland campaign before that with an easy 1:56.6 mile rate win over 1660 metres.
It is 16 months since the Grant Dixon-trained Special Reserve won a race at Albion Park and, while a consistent place getter, he has had nine starts since his last win at Redcliffe.
Sir Tiger races at 12.42pm NZ time at Albion Park on Friday night.
More news in Harness
Rivergirl Bella all the way at Cambridge in timely boost for hospitalised owner
Slow maturing Jessie Lincoln finally gets it done, not a bad job for a $3500 weanling buy
Forget Auckland, Ray’s girl Jessie can do a lot better at Cambridge on Thursday night
Rivergirl Maggie’s donning tighter gear on Friday night to attract Auckland punters
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them

Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 2: Lincoln Downs
7.08pm
“She hasn’t shown much in two starts back and the wide draw doesn’t help so I’m not holding my breath.”
Race 3: Rivergirl Bella
7.39pm
“She should lead easily from one and be hard to beat. If she’d been a slot closer last time she would have won.”

Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 4: Sugar Ray Lincoln
6.43pm
“Take no notice of that last run which was a non-event for him. Every time he went to go, something came out underneath him. He’s been going better recently and, with reasonable luck in a weaker field, he can be in it.”

