Tough assignment for Bondi Shake on Tuesday and Larry’s going to need luck too
By Barry Lichter • 18 January 2021
If you pegged Bondi Shake as a next-up winner after his unlucky run at Albion Park last week, trainer Al Barnes warns he has tough opposition on Tuesday evening and will be doing well to even run a place.
Bondi Shake did well to be beaten only a head by Kotare Elite on January 12 after being nearly skittled early in the home straight in a concertina melee that saw winning driver John Stariha suspended for 21 days.
Bondi Shake was four wide and running right into the race when driver Hayden Barnes saw the two horses inside him hook up and he swerved out to avoid the trouble, resulting in the horse losing valuable momentum.
A protest by the connections of the fifth-placed Sunny Rice, who was badly checked, failed because it couldn’t be proved that she would have beaten the winner without the interference.
Bondi Shake, arrowed, swerves sideways as the two horses inside him cop interference from the leader and hook up.And Al Barnes says it was pointless protesting himself.
“Bondi Shake would have to have been knocked down to win a protest. Hayden actually had enough room to miss it but he over-reacted to the situation and checked off them - which I don’t blame him for doing.
“Hayden said the two who hooked up actually did him a favour as he wasn’t going to get past the horse inside him before it. We got a spurt on and kicked on strongly but we were never going to beat the winner.”
Barnes says Tuesday evening’s race looks to be the toughest Bondi Shake has faced since arriving in Brisbane, with the likely favourite Boomchuckalucka drawn wide.
“He looks like a really nice horse and will run a 54 - 55 half. We ran second to him in his first-up run here but didn’t make up any ground. And even though we’re a bit more seasoned now and have improved a lot, it will still be hard for him.
“It’s a very good race, the hardest he’s tackled, and if he can run a place he’ll be doing well. I’m really interested to see how he goes because he’s improving all the time and hopefully he can step up again.”
Barnes says you have to forgive Larry Lincoln for running last at his latest start but from gate six he, too, will need a lot of luck to feature in the seventh race.
Larry Lincoln blotted his form line badly on January 5 when he sat in the one-one then pulled out three wide at the 400 and went nowhere, finishing last of eight.
“Larry got away on us a bit over Christmas,” Barnes said.
“We had a few very hot days and were a bit casual with him - we thought he might need a break - and he put on a few kilos.
“We’ve worked him a bit stronger since and he’ll turn the corner. He’s up them but from the draw he’ll get back.
“We’ll drive him for luck. If the pace is on, he’ll run on. If they walk and sprint, it will make it tough.”
More news in Harness
Johnny Lincoln’s big ticker will stand to him in the States and Lover’s also sold to Aussie
No Jumals to beat this time at the Park so Ray’s looking for Lincoln Wave to roll in
Lincoln Linda best of the night at Cambridge - she has the engine to cross Soul Artist
Cheapie Johnny Lincoln a “proper” racehorse who can foot it with the Million bluebloods
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Rivergirl Bella
5.44pm
“She did well here last time as she had to do a bit to get to the lead and she dug in and fought on. She’s certainly a chance if she repeats that effort.”
Race 4: Lincoln Linda
7.09pm
“I thought she went super last time after doing a lot of work. She can do that because she has an engine and is tough. She’s a bit one-dimensional - you have to turn her loose early - but from the two draw she should be able to lead and that’s where she does her best work.”
Race 5: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.34pm
“I think he’s a bit stronger after his spell. It’s not a great field - most will die on that mark - and I don’t see a problem with the standing start as he’s nicely gaited. He could be marginally unfit after three months out but he’s done quite a bit of work and I can see him going a half-decent race.”
Race 6: Lincoln Maree
7.59pm
“She had every chance last time but I can’t see why she won’t go well again. She’s as honest as they come and tries like hell.”
Race 7: The Night Fox
8.29pm
“You’d think he’d lead easily from the inside. He’s had bad draws and still got the money, so I’m sure he’ll go another good race. I’m surprised they sold him so cheaply. He’s better than people think.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Lincoln Wave
5.09pm
“With the trip he got in the Harness Million I thought he’d have run on a lot better. But he was still a bit short on fitness and sometimes we can expect too much of these horses, he was racing the best, after all. It’s a big drop in grade here and he’s a pretty fair horse.”
Race 1: Leo Lincoln
5.09pm
“He’s an honest sort who’s in a good space but he won’t get a wonderful trip from the outside of the gate this time so I’m not holding my breath.”
Race 3: Sammy Lincoln
6.04pm
“He’s training down well but you never know what he’s going to do. You think you’ve got him sorted and he does something silly. But we know if the real Sammy turned up, he’d be very hard to beat as he’s got a lot of speed.”
Race 5: Prince Lincoln
7.05pm
“He’s another where you don’t know which one will turn up but we’ve gelded him since his last run, so we’ll see if that helps. He trained well the other day.”
