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.
More news in Harness
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
A picture of Bliss but poor Harry’s arms were nearly pulled out of their sockets
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.”
