Vasari and Hayden Barnes demolish their rivals at Redcliffe nine days ago. PHOTO: Michael McInally.
Vasari can run a hole but Hayden won’t beat Brendan, says dad of Saturday night’s race
By Barry Lichter • 2 August 2019
Vasari won’t be winning at Albion Park on Saturday night but he’s drawn in the right place to place, says trainer Al Barnes.
The last-start Redcliffe winner has drawn the inside of the second row, at first glance a bad place for a horse who likes to roll.
But with pole runner Thatswhatisaid the leader and almost certain winner, Barnes is hoping Vasari can find enough early gate speed to hold his back or at least run three deep on the markers.
“Either way he should earn a cheque. If he trails all the way he can run a close second to Thatswhatisaid but he won’t beat him. He’s a very nice horse who hasn’t had much luck lately.”
Al Barnes with son Brendan who drives hotpot Thatswhatisaid against Vasari on Saturday night.Barnes knows the form of Jack Butler’s horse well, with his son Brendan the regular pilot.
With older son Hayden on Vasari, Barnes is hoping for a family affair at the wire but says his own horse is a real trick to drive.
“If Hayden fires him up, he won’t be able to stop him. You’ve got to keep him happy and not fight him.
“That makes it hard because I have to try to place him in races where we can do that. You can’t drive him aggressively at Albion Park because they don’t let you go and you have to kill him early if you shoot for the front.”
Barnes reports Vasari is feeling super after his Redcliffe win nine days ago when he went within three tenths of a second of the track record with his 1:55.2 mile rate for 1780 metres.
But Thatswhatisaid will be going a lot faster than that on Saturday night. A Menangle mile winner in 1:51.4, he couldn’t work clear last time but showed in his first two runs in the state that he would thrive with a win and second.
Vasari might be having his 84th start on Satrurday night but he continues to be a regular money spinner for Lincoln Farms and its partners Ian Middleton, Rod and Sue Fleming and Peter Jeffares.
He was the fourth highest money winner for Lincoln Farms in the season just ended with $34,759 in stakes, behind Make Way, Northview Hustler and Trojan Banner.
Vasari runs at 7.43pm NZ time at Albion Park on Saturday night.
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Ray’s comments
Friday night at Cambridge
Race 2: Johnny Lincoln
5.39pm
“He didn’t do anything at Auckland last start but seems to go better left-handed and placed at Cambridge in his only start there.”
Race 2: Lincoln Maree
5.39pm
“Her driver (Harrison Orange) said she would have won last start had that horse (Mr Miki) not stopped in her face. The winner was gone by the time she saw daylight. She will just need some luck from the second row draw.”
Race 2: Prince Lincoln
5.39pm
“He should have won last start at Auckland but we’ve taken the blinds off on Friday night and, in a weaker line-up, going left-handed, we’ll see how he goes.”
Race 4: Spiritual Bliss
6.37pm
“I think the race will be won or lost soon after the start. It’s out of our control, we just have to hope she gets a run through and then I’m sure she’ll be hard to beat.”
Race 8: Lincoln Downs
8.40pm
“She’s got a little bit of lick but only has a short sprint, so timing is everything.”
Race 8: Lincoln Lover
8.40pm
“Being put in the race from the start last time obviously took a bit of the sting out of him. But at least there’s no chance that will happen this time from the second row. In his previous races he’d ducked for cover and got sucked along but he needs a decent tempo, he’s no sit-sprinter.”
