Sir Tiger … talented, tractable and just needs some luck from the draw to be right in the hunt on Friday night.
Sir Tiger’s earned his stripes - he just needs his stablemate to play ball
By Barry Lichter • 3 April 2019
“It could be a good draw or it could be a bad draw.’’
Trainer Ray Green sums up Friday night’s two-year-old race at Auckland in a nutshell when he says leading Lincoln Farms’ hope Sir Tiger is at the mercy of what stablemate Hilary Barry does out of the gate.
With the filly drawn the pole and Sir Tiger right on her back, he could get the sweetest trip in the race if she can hold the lead.
But if she is crossed at the start - Bad To The Bone and Texas Tiger both prime candidates to do just that - “he could get the big shuffle’’ and become buried on the markers.
While Hilary Barry has left the gate quickly and led a few times in her workouts and trials, Green says she’s never drawn a marble which has allowed her racenight driver to see what she can do early.
“The others look pretty green and nothing has displayed huge gate speed at the workouts,’’ says Green. “So if she holds up Sir Tiger could get a really nice trip.’’
Trainer Ray Green with driver Andre Poutama, who pilots Sir Tiger on Friday night.Nobody could deny Sir Tiger a turn. During the Young Guns series the Sir Lincoln colt habitually drew badly, still performing bravely.
When stablemate Perfect Stride announced his presence with a brilliant debut win, Sir Tiger sat parked throughout and still ran second.
The only time he drew a marble he trailed stablemate Double Or Nothing throughout and sprinted through for second to crack youngster Line Up.
“He’s shown he’s not out of his depth when he’s in with the best ones and he’s more experienced than the others,’’ says Green.
“The poor horse has never had any luck and he’s never gone a bad race. He’s so lovely and tractable.’’
Friday’s opposition is easily the weakest Sir Tiger has faced, prompting Green to say he can feel justified in being very hopeful of getting a decent cheque.
Sir Tiger showed he had shrugged off his virus when winning a recent workout, then dashing home late for third behind Hilary Barry last Saturday in the hands of Friday night’s driver Andre Poutama.
Green does not believe Hilary Barry will be out of her depth against the boys on Friday night.
Her formline would read better had she not drawn badly in four of her five starts and been forced to try to run record times chasing the All Star’s freakish filly Sweet On Me.
Lincoln Farms’ No. 1 reinsman Zac Butcher is on Barry Purdon’s Bad To The Bone on Friday but after a recent placing at the workouts when driving Hilary Barry he mused that, while she lacked a yard of speed, he’d like to see her tried in front one night.
Junior driver Andrew Drake gets the reins again on Hilary Barry on Friday.
More news in Harness
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
Ultra-consistent Kevin Kline sold to the United States: Why Ray’s sorry to lose him
Nate having a last spin round on his wee mate Eric - and he’s in with a very good chance
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Nathan’s comments
Thursday night at Manawatu
Race 4: Spiritual Bliss
6.25pm
“She won well on the first day but pulled very hard - Harry said his arms were that tired afterwards he couldn’t have lifted a 1kg dumb bell. She’s meeting a few nice ones here, up in grade, but she’s drawn better so you can’t count her out. She tries hard and really digs in.”
Race 7: Lincoln Downs
7.50pm
“She did everything right on Tuesday but she blew heavily afterwards and I think the heat got to her. She’s a place chance if she recovers OK.”
Race 8: Lincoln Maree
8.22pm
“She was jumping shadows on Tuesday and moves to the last race this time but she’s not the most genuine so I’m not holding my breath.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 3: Lincoln Lover
6.28pm
“He hasn’t raced for three months but trialled really well. I pick he’s going to win one pretty quickly and, given he’s been running against the best two-year-olds in his previous preps, it should really be on Friday night. This lot of maidens aren’t in the same class and he’s as honest as they come, a tough little trier.”
Race 6: Debbie Lincoln
8.09pm
“She’s really up against it from the outside of the second line, with all the favourites drawn well. She has to be the unluckest animal on the planet. With her, what can go wrong will. Even at the best of times you need a reasonable draw to figure but drawn in the bondocks here she’ll need incredible luck.”
Race 8: Sugar Ray Lincoln
9.09pm
“He had a short break while some vet work was done but is in good trim. Yes, there are a few in here that are vastly higher rated but his formline says it all - it’s not often he doesn’t get a cheque.”
Race 8: Tyson
9.09pm
“He was a bit unlucky last week that he didn’t get to them a bit sooner otherwise I think he would have won. Maurice said he thought they’d come back to him more, going 2:39 speed, but his closing sectionals were easily the best in the race.”
Race 10: Prince Lincoln
10.09pm
“He’s grown into a beautiful horse, a quality looking colt, and who knows what he could be. He’ll obviously improve with the run but I still expect him to run well from his good draw. He trialled very well behind a good one.”
Race 10: Johnny Lincoln
10.09pm
“He’s drawn a bit awkwardly in seven, which gives Prince Lincoln the edge, but he too was making good ground in the workout.”
