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.
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Our runners this week: How our trainer rates them
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.”
