You’ll have to ask ornery Sir Tiger how he’s going to go on Friday night - Al can’t tell us
By Barry Lichter • 18 December 2019
Trainer Al Barnes would happily have handed over the phone to Sir Tiger when asked how he’ll go at Albion Park on Friday night.
That’s because Barnes says only the horse knows what he’s going to do and whether he’ll try his hardest.
It’s fair to say Sir Tiger has well and truly tested Barnes’ patience since arriving from New Zealand and he’s run very much hot and cold since his debut Queensland win back in September.
Barnes eventually gelded the horse, hoping to improve his terrible manners and his efforts on the racetrack.
But while Sir Tiger doesn’t bite so much and is easier to walk from A to B, he’s still difficult to train, wanting to rear and spin round instead of walking during his interval training sessions.
“He’s the type of horse who needs to have a routine but we haven’t been able to because it’s been so hot and you can’t cook him. It was 45 degrees on Monday when we galloped him.”
Barnes has been attempting to up the horse’s workload since he resumed last week as a warm favourite and ran out of puff in his first race for seven weeks.
While hampered in heavy traffic early and forced four wide round the home turn, Barnes says his only real excuse was that he was short of race fitness.
“He had nothing left last week but you can’t put one on his bum in a race anyway or he pulls up.
“Hopefully he’ll improve this time because it’s not an overly hard race. He’s got a horrible draw (four on the second line) so we’ll have to drive him quietly again.”
Barnes had Sir Tiger treated yesterday by a chiropractor who found he was out on both sides of his sacroiliac (a joint at the back of the pelvis).
“It wasn’t bad, just a little niggle, but it might help him.”
At his best, Barnes says Sir Tiger is capable of going round the field, sitting parked, and winning in a 1:55 mile rate.
“But with him, you never know what you’ve got.”
Sir Tiger races at 9.24pm NZ time at Albion Park on Friday night.
More news in Harness
Hubby nearly in the dog box after Tyson delivers Debbie a Golden Gait knockout blow
Debbie lands Golden draw at last in her bid to give Sampson a haircut at the Park
Spiritual Bliss and Lincoln Maree add to Lincoln Farms’ gallery of Manawatu heroes
Video clue on why Lincoln Lover is tipped to go boldly fresh-up at Auckland on Friday night
Our runners this week
Wednesday at Cambridge
Spiritual Bliss, Lincoln Lover, Lincoln Downs, Leo Lincoln, Lincoln Maree.
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 3: Lincoln Downs
6.22pm
“She got home really well on the second night at Manawatu and gets a good draw here. There’s not much exposed form in the race so it’s hard to know how she compares but she’ll win one.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 3: Debbie Lincoln
7.01pm
“I thought she went super again last week with no luck and we’ve got a decent draw for a change so you have to like her chances. She’s been getting in on the corners, so we’ve added a Murphy blind.”
Race 3: Tyson
7.01pm
“I was impressed by the way he hung on to Captain Sampson and Greased Lightnin last week. They’re strong sprinters and it was only a sprint up the straight. He’ll need things to go his way from six.”
Race 3: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.01pm
“It was his first run for a while last week and he probably needed another trial. But we thought we might as well race him to set him up for this week. The outside draw of eight doesn’t help.”
Race 9: Lincoln Lover
9.55pm
“He’s not as sharp as our other two but he’s a game little bugger. He’ll win races for sure.”
Race 9: Prince Lincoln
9.55pm
“I thought he went really well last week. He’d had only one trial and was a bit fresh so it was understandable that he got tired the last bit. That will tighten him up and I’m expecting him to race well. He’s trained on well since.”
Race 9: Johnny Lincoln
9.55pm
“Prince has the wood on Johnny but he’ll still go well. He found the line well last week. It was his first run for a while too, and his first as a gelding.”
