Northview Hustler, with trainer Al Barnes and his son Hayden after winning the Flashing Red last season. PHOTO: Dan Costello.
Today’s X-rays inconclusive so now Hustler’s off for nuclear scintigraphy
By Barry Lichter • 1 April 2020
Lincoln Farms’ flagship pacer in Queensland Northview Hustler will undergo nuclear scintigraphy, hopefully in the next few days, to determine whether he has a hairline fracture.
A second round of X-rays today failed to establish with certainty why the horse has bleeding in his near front fetlock.
And while the suspicion is that he has a hairline fracture, trainer Al Barnes says the horse is too good to be guessing over his future.
“He’s one of the best horses over here and while there looked to be a very faint shadow on the X-rays I want to be 100 percent certain what we’re dealing with.”
X-rays of Hustler’s off side fetlock today didn’t look dissimilar to the affected leg, making diagnosis even more difficult.
Barnes is hoping coronavirus disruptions don’t delay testing the horse at the university where staff numbers might be down.
“To prevent any delays we’ve taken blood from the horse today because he has to be tested for Hendra before having the scintigraphy.”
During scintigraphy a radioactive dye is introduced into the horse and hot spots indicate injury sites where repair is underway.
Barnes says the swelling in Hustler’s fetlock hasn’t reduced in the last two weeks.
“If anything it’s slightly increased but he’s in no pain. He’s sound, happy and bubbly and just wants to get out there and run.
“The vet suggested we might consider giving him three months’ box rest but I couldn’t see the point. He couldn’t give any guarantees that the horse would be right after that because we don’t know for sure what the problem is.
“Horses don’t bleed outside the joint for no reason. It’s normally from a hairline fracture or some other major trauma.
“Hustler is not a horse you want to be guessing with and hopefully we can get it done by the end of the week.
“It’s not such a big deal now that the winter carnival is off and anyway the horse’s welfare comes first.”
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Ray’s comments
Friday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Rivergirl Bella
4.52pm
“She did a good job last week at Auckland. Throwing her in the deep end seems to have toughened her up a bit. She’s getting stronger all the time. This is a big drop in class and she’s a chance from a better gate (three).”
Race 2: Prince Lincoln
5.20pm
“If the real Prince turned up he’d absolutely be hard to beat. If he leads, as he should do from two, he’s a different horse.”
Race 3: Major Copy
5.54pm
“Maurice just nursed him around on debut. He was stepping over tyre marks on the track so he didn’t want to launch him into the open too soon. We’ll put a shadow roll on him this time to stop that and I can see him going a lot better from the inside draw.”
Race 3: Jessie Lincoln
5.54pm
“I’m not saying she can’t win but it will be hard for Fergie to find a good trip from the draw. She’ll need a lot of luck but she can be right in it if things go her way as she’s training well.”
Race 5: Lincoln Dealer
6.49pm
“He’s been a slow developing horse and you can’t drive him pretty, he won’t let you, as he’s a bit of a hot head. Maurice will launch him and see where he ends up.”
Race 5: Spirit Of God
6.49pm
“She got tired late last time and started hanging a bit (hitting a marker) but I thought she went OK. She did a bit early (from a wide draw) and was still there at the finish so she’s going to win a race. You never know with second line draws but it’s usually a decent impairment.”
Race 7: Lincoln Maree
7.40pm
“She never runs a bad race. She has a big motor for a little filly and should be right in the fray.”
Race 7: Angelic Copy
7.40pm
“Maurice said she foundered a bit when they took off, and got three or four lengths behind, but she didn’t lose any more ground after that and held her place. So the run wasn’t as bad as it looked and she’ll be improved.”
Race 8: Lincoln Wave
8.14pm
“It was a non-event last time and he’s a good horse who will be vying for the lead from five and deserves to be favourite.”
Race 8: Sugar Ray Lincoln
8.14pm
“Peter (Ferguson) said he didn’t feel as sharp last week as in the past so I’ve given him a little freshen-up with a light week and he should go better.”
