Sir Tiger plays with his rivals first-up and looks set to claim Pot Of Gold Final next week
By Barry Lichter • 27 September 2019
Sir Tiger earned favouritism for next week’s A$11,000 Pot Of Gold Final with a completely dominant win in his 1660 metre heat at Albion Park today.
Having his first start in Queensland for Lincoln Farms’ trainer Al Barnes, Sir Tiger treated his rivals with contempt, staying out of the early 27.4 burn from the second row before coming three wide to breeze at the bell and romping clear untested in the straight.
The performance had commentator Chris Barsby excited as he heralded the latest of Lincoln Farms’ recruits with the call: “He opens up and sprints away. That’s impressive, that’s sharp.”
Sir Tiger and Hayden Barnes are playing with their rivals.The Sir Lincoln colt was credited with a 7.8 metre margin and mile rate of 1:55.6, all the while driver Hayden Barnes sitting quietly in the cart as he sailed home in 57.2 and 28.3.
“Hayden was very happy and said he felt very sharp - and there’s still a lot of improvement in him as his heart rate was high at 101 afterwards.
“We knew he’d need the run (after missing work with a haematoma) but also thought he’d be forward enough to be too good for that lot.
“He was cruising at the finish, he did it so easily, and I’m looking forward to next week’s final.”
Barnes says Sir Tiger will be better geared up next Friday night too - “we have a couple of little changes to make.
“We’ll put a lugging pole on him. We knew he wore one in New Zealand but didn’t know which way he’d hang.
“Hayden said he got in a bit today so we can fix that.”
Barnes believes Sir Tiger is very similar to Lincoln Farms’ Trojan Banner whom he trained to seven straight wins before his sale to the States and is a contender on Sunday night for the title of Queensland three-year-old pacer of the year.
“He has speed and stamina and I can see him developing more high speed here, as Hustler’s done.
The margin over Jovial Julie is nearly 8 metres and Sir Tiger is cruising.“He will develop into a very nice horse and do a really good job over here.
“He should win a few quite quickly.”
Sir Tiger has now won three of his 16 starts and boosted his bank balance by A$3660 today for owners John and Lynne Street, Kim Miller, Brian Rabbitt, Steve Beckett, Kevin Bell, Michael Brereton, Denis James, Margaret Rabbitt, and the 10-strong Excell syndicate of Christine Stuart, Christine Rupp, Lynda Irwin-Parson, Liz Bilton, Sue Donovan, Sue Wilson, Jackie Taylor, Mary Ingles, Sharon Rack and Shirley Arnett.
Sir Tiger will meet the top finishers of the three Pot Of Gold heats today, including Grant Dixon’s pair Signorina Jujon, who also sat parked in her heat and scored a slugging head win in the fractionally faster time of 1:55 and Cherry’s The Best who clocked a much slower 1:57.3 in her heat win.
Sir Tiger became the sixth individual winner Barnes has trained for Lincoln Farms this year and took his overall tally to 21 wins, after Billy Lincoln’s all-the-way success on Thursday.
Barnes will get a hat-trick when his daughter Cassie marries on Saturday night and is hoping for four top-of-the-podium finishes in a row when Northview Hustler races the same night.
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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.”
